I Can't Be a Huntsman!
by King of Plot Bunnies
Summary: All Kyousuke wanted was a normal life. But with an overly-aggressive childhood friend, her socially awkward little sister and his own eroge-obsessed sibling, a normal life doesn't seem likely. Throw in a world of monsters and magic? "I just want a normal life!" Yeah. Not happening, Kyousuke. Kyousuke x Harem with focus on Team RWBY. Non-compliant with Volume 3.
1. Of Guns and Roses

_"Eh, going home again, Kousaka?"_

_"What do you expect? He's in the 'Going-Home Club',"_

_"But it's the last day of school! He could at least stick around with his classmates for a while!"_

Kyousuke ignored his fellow students in favor of packing up his bag. He did twitch, however, at the mention of _her_.

_"He's nothing like his sister."_

_"Kirino? Isn't she some kind of prodigy or something?"_

Kirino Kousaka; his bratty, genius little sister. Whether it be grades, looks or combat ability, Kirino had it all. Apparently, she was also working part-time as a model.

_"I heard she's being skipped ahead two years."_

_"Really? That'd make her our classmate, wouldn't it?"_

_"Are you daft? She's not going to a public school like we are. She's going to Beacon Academy!"_

_"No way! She's going to be a Huntress?!"_

Of course he'd known that as well. Not that _she _had bothered to tell him but he'd known regardless. It almost seemed predestined; his perfect little sister, Kirino, was the shining star of Signal Academy. How could she _not_ become a Huntress?

_"Being outshined by his little sister… How sad."_

Like he cared. If Kirino wanted to bask in the limelight, then good for her. Just leave him out of it. All he wanted was a normal life with his friends. He'd marry a nice, normal girl and get a normal desk job. He had no need for fame or glory.

Now, he realized that this may seem boring to some, but he enjoyed it. He didn't care if he was a disgrace to his family or not. His father, Daisuke, was the famous captain of the Vale Police Force; responsible for the capture of over a hundred notorious criminals. And on the other side, his mother, Yoshino, was a famed researcher of Dust and its properties.

That left him as the black sheep of his family. His father and sister mostly ignored him, like an annoying fly they couldn't get rid of. At least his mother still cared for him, but she was busy with her research and didn't come home often.

_"How does he live with himself? His family must be ashamed."_

Kyousuke merely sighed and slung his backpack over his shoulder.

"Oi!" a female voice growled. "Back off!"

_"Shit, it's the Dragon!"_

"Don't call me Dragon!" the girl snapped, causing the peanut gallery to scamper off in panic. "Honestly…" she muttered before turning to him with a frown on her face. "You shouldn't put up with that, Kyo."

"Just ignore them, Yang." The boy sighed with a bemused smile on his face.

"But they don't know what happened!" she argued. "Ever since Manami-"

"Yang," Kyousuke said stiffly, causing his childhood friend to flinch slightly. "Please. Just… don't."

"Right," the blonde murmured. "Sorry." She coughed slightly in an attempt to break the awkward silence that had fallen between them. "Sooo… You're coming to the graduation party tonight, right?"

"Do I have a choice?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Nope!" the girl gave him a grin before grabbing him in a headlock. Kyousuke suddenly found his face wedged against two _very _soft objects.

Now, you have to understand. Yang wasn't just any girl. She was the 'Dragon' of Signal Academy. Even if she detested the nickname, (granted, it was more the person who gave it to her that she disliked rather than the name itself) it didn't change the fact that she was one of the strongest fighters the school had ever seen. And if that wasn't enough, she also happened to be one of the most beautiful girls in the school; with curves that would leave any man drooling. So, needless to say, Kyousuke was being subject to several hateful stares for his current predicament.

"Y-Yang…!" the boy cried, though his voice was muffled by the girl's school blazer.

"You can only be a loner for so long before the Great Yang drags you back into the fold!" the blonde bombshell cackled. Finally, she released him, giving the poor boy a chance to breathe once again.

"W-Whatever you say, Yang…" Kyousuke muttered, still breathless.

"Seriously, though," the girl said, her voice losing its cheerfulness. "We only have a few weeks before I have to leave. Beacon is a boarding school, so I won't be able to check up on you as often as before."

"I know," he replied quietly, as the two finally began the long trek back home.

"Aw…" Yang's voice suddenly regained its usual playfulness. "Will you _miiiiisssss _me? All you have to do is take Beacon's enrollment test and we can be together for four more years."

The boy scoffed. "Please, I _relish _the chance to get away from your nagging for the next four years," he said, wincing as she punched him in the shoulder in retaliation. "But you know that even if I _wanted _to, I don't have the credentials to enroll."

"Who _cares _about credentials?" Yang demanded, crossing her arms. Kyousuke deliberately ignored the way it emphasized her chest. "All that matters is that you have the right skills to enroll. And I know you've got them."

"Yang-"

"No, Kyo," the girl suddenly snapped. "Three years ago, you could take me on in a fight any day of the week. What happened to you? What happened to the boy who dreamed of fun and adventure?" She looked like she wanted to say more, but held off for whatever reason.

"He died that night three years ago, Yang," Kyousuke said tiredly. The girl flinched as they reached a crossroad. They would be splitting up here.

"Kyo…"

"Well, I'll see you."

"You'll be at the party, right?" She raised her fist threateningly at his retreating back. He simply made a noncommittal gesture and walked off. Yang waited until he had rounded the corner before making a sharp turn and slamming her gauntlet-clad fist into a nearby tree. She watched in satisfaction as a large hole was carved straight through. "That damn idiot," she muttered.

* * *

"I'm home," Kyousuke said monotonously as he entered the large house his family lived in. There was no reply, but he hadn't been expecting one. He silently slipped his shoes off and entered the living room. To his surprise, his sister was already there, spread across the couch with a scroll in her lap as she conversed with someone on the screen.

"I know, right? Haha!" the girl giggled at the device. "He seriously said that?! Haha!"

"You're home before me?" Kyousuke asked in mild surprise. "Don't you have practice or something?"

She didn't even spare him a glance, instead continued laughing with whoever was on the other end of her call. Kyousuke's eyebrow twitched but otherwise, he didn't react. He took a breath and made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of his favorite barley tea. After several gulps, he placed the glass in the sink to be washed later. He took one last glance at Kirino before rolling his eyes and making his way to his room upstairs.

He was half-way up the stairway when he realized, '_'Ugh… I forgot to put the tea away… It's too troublesome to go all the way back down… but... it's my favorite...' _With a great, heaving sigh, he turned around and made his way back to the living room. He reached for the doorknob, only to have the door swing open. He barely made out Kirino's surprised face before she crashed right into him, her handbag and its contents spilling all over the ground.

"Ah," he murmured, crouching down to help pick her things up. "Sorry."

He was shocked, however, when she suddenly slapped his hand away. "Don't," she said, her voice ice-cold. "It's fine. I'll do it myself." Kyousuke just watched as she quickly gathered her belongings and stood. "I'm going to my room. Don't bother me." And with that, she raced up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Wow, has our relationship really degraded this far?" Usually, she would at least act _somewhat _civil around him. This time, she was downright _hostile _towards him. Shaking his head in bemusement, he reached for the door again, only for something bright to catch his eye. He turned to see a small pink DVD case under the coat rack.

Curious, he picked it up. On the cover was a cutesy anime character holding a huge staff, with black eyes and pink hair. What made one of Kyousuke's eyebrows arch was the outfit that the girl was wearing. She was a wearing an extremely explicit swimsuit-like armor.

There was only one thing to say in this situation.

"What the actual fuck?" Kyousuke exclaimed. He quickly scanned the box's title. "Stardust Witch Meruru: Limited First Edition and Beach OVA."

Now, he was no stranger to anime. He couldn't exactly be described as an otaku, but he knew what was hot with today's youth. _Stardust Witch Meruru _certainly wasn't what he would call 'mainstream'. Kyousuke opened the DVD case and his eyes nearly bugged out when he saw that the disk did_ not_ match the box.

"Love Little Sisters 2…" He repeated the title several times to ensure that his eyes were not deceiving him. "Rated MA18+"

He quickly ran possible owners through his head. Mom? She was too busy to bother with something like this, so she was out. Dad? He _despised _anything otaku related, so he was out. And it sure as hell wasn't _his_. So, that left only one person.

Kirino?

Kyousuke's mind nearly blue-screened, but that was the only logical answer. '_It must have fallen out of her bag,'_ He realized with a start._ 'Which was why she was so hostile when I tried to help her.'_

While part of him was happy that she wasn't angry with him, another part of him was still trying to come to grips with the realization that his perfect little sister — _Kirino_ — was playing porno games involving little sisters. So shocked was he, that his body moved on autopilot as he returned the barley tea to the refrigerator and made his way up to his room. It was only when he closed the door behind him that he realized that the DVD case was still in his hand.

"Crap…!" Kyousuke muttered. "What do I do with this?"

He couldn't just return it to Kirino. He could picture it now…

"_Hey, Kirino, you dropped your __**little sister porn**__ out in the hallway. Here ya go!"_

Yeah. _That _would turn out well. Kyousuke had seen her destroy a test dummy in combat training. He did _not _want to be on the receiving end of her wrath. No, he could not return it to her.

"I can't just leave it in here either," he muttered. "Who knows what Mom will say if she finds it. And God have mercy should Dad find it…"

Maybe he could have Yang burn it? No, she would never let him live it down.

"Wait, what the hell am I doing?" Kyousuke sighed, resisting the urge to facepalm. "I'll just put it back where I found it." He turned sharply on his heel and began making his way downstairs. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he was surprised to see Kirino on the ground, her rear end high in the air as she searched for something. Kyousuke quickly hid the box behind his back as she turned towards him.

"Ah… W-What the hell were you staring at, pervert?!"

"Like hell I was!" He snapped. "What the hell are you doing, anyway?"

"T-That's none of your business!" Kirino growled just as the front door swung open, prompting both teens to flinch and turn towards the people entering in mild shock.

"We're home~!" their mother called out, still wearing her white lab coat over a dark purple business suit and high-heeled boots. "Oh! You're both here?"

Kyousuke paled as he spotted his father standing behind her, still dressed in full police regalia. "M-Mom? Dad?"

"Looks like everyone's home for once," Daisuke nodded. "Good. It'll be nice to have a family dinner once in a while."

"I'll get started~!" Yoshino said eagerly. "But first, come give me a hug, you two!"

"A-Ahaha…" Kyousuke chuckled nervously, still hiding the DVD case behind his back. "M-Mom, don't you think we're a little old for that…?"

"Kyousuke," their father said sternly. "You haven't seen your mother in days. Give her a hug."

"Y-Yes, sir…" he muttered as he reluctantly walked into his mother's arms, prompting Kirino's eyes to lock onto the DVD case still hidden behind his back. Her eyes widened and she began sputtering indignantly.

"Kirino?" their mother called, reaching out to her. "Come give me a hug~!"

"Y-Yes, Mother," she said, glaring at Kyousuke murderously. The boy flinched.

Once Yoshino had her fill of affection, she released them. "Well, I'll get started on dinner. Kirino, would you like to help?"

"Alright, Mother," the brown-haired girl nodded before turning to Kyousuke with a look that clearly said, '_This isn't over.'_

The unfortunate teen just groaned.

* * *

"Kyousuke, have you decided which school you're going to apply to?" Daisuke questioned as the small family sat through dinner. A few meters away, the television was turned to the local news channel, going on about recent happenings in the city.

"Yeah." The boy nodded. "I've been thinking about Flicker Academy. They don't have many requirements, so I should get in without any problems." His father frowned but nodded regardless. Kirino simply threw him a disgusted look before turning to the TV once again.

"_In other news, the notorious criminal Roman Torchwick has been spotted in the area_," the news anchor said, drawing all their attention. _"Be advised. Torchwick is listed as armed and highly dangerous."_

The anchor's image was replaced by a video clip of Daisuke earlier today. "_The Vale Police Department advises all citizens to be on alert. Do not approach Torchwick. If spotted, the police should be called immediately."_

"Roman Torchwick?" Yoshino asked, concerned. "The international criminal?"

"Yes." Daisuke scowled. "And if that isn't enough, there are reports that recently, he's been seen dealing with the White Fang."

The White Fang was a group that advocated equality between humans and Faunus, people with animal-like characteristics. Although in the eyes of the law, humans and Faunus were already equal, lingering racism led to many Faunus being treated as inferior by humans.

Though once a peaceful group, the White Fang experienced a change in leadership a few years ago and begun committing acts of terror against several prominent Dust companies for their supposed ill treatment of their Faunus laborers.

"And if they're involved, things could get messy," their father continued, crossing his arms. "But rest assured. We'll catch him _and_ his White Fang cohorts."

Kyousuke wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I'm done," he announced, standing up with his plate. "Thanks for the food, but I need to go get ready for the graduation party. Yang will be waiting for me tomorrow with the beating of a lifetime if I don't show up."

"My, my, Kyousuke," his mother said slyly. "If you want to go spend time with your girlfriend, you don't have to lie."

"First of all, I'm not lying," he said wearily. "And second of all, she's not my girlfriend."

"Oh, but it's only a matter of time." She winked at him. "Trust me. Moms know these things."

"Whatever you say, Mom," Kyousuke said, rolling his eyes. "I'll probably stop by a convenience store on my way home. Do you need anything?"

"No, but we've been running low on Dust cartridges," Yoshino replied. "Could you stop by a Dust shop and pick some up? The one on Farbe Street should still be open. I'll lend you some money."

"Sure." He nodded before placing his dishes in the sink and making his way to his room upstairs. Kyousuke had barely closed the door behind him when he began hearing footfalls thundering up the stairs. An instant later his door flew open and Kirino stormed in.

"Give. It." She growled.

"Hmm?" He hummed, a smirk forming on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Kirino snapped.

"Oh, you mean _this_?" Kyousuke reached into his desk drawer and pulled out the _Meruru _box.

"Give it to me!" She lunged at him, but he quickly raised it high over his head.

"So it _was _yours!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" she said as she attempted to snatch it from his hand. "I-I'd never watch that anime!"

"Your mouth says one thing but your body says another!" Kyousuke smirked as he ducked under another one of her lunges. "If this isn't yours, then why do you want it?"

"That's-" She stopped, her hand balled into a tight fist. "I-I was…"

Kyousuke raised an eyebrow as she seemed to struggle finding the correct words. Finally, when he saw tears beginning to form in her eyes, he sighed and shoved the DVD into her hands.

"Here."

"H-Huh?" she sniffed, eyeing the box in confusion.

"Just make sure Dad doesn't find out about it, or he'll go ballistic," Kyousuke said, shooing her out of the room. "Come on, now. I need to get dressed."

"I-It's not mine!" Kirino snapped.

"Then throw it away for me, would you?" He sighed. "Seriously though. Get out. I need to get ready."

"I… sure… I guess I could do that…" the girl muttered. She turned and made to leave but stopped, one foot already out the door. "D-Do you think it's… weird?"

"Huh?"

"I-I said, if - _IF _this was mine… would you think I was weird?"

Kyousuke stared at her for several moments before sighing. "No, I wouldn't," he said truthfully. "You like what you like. Who am I to judge you?"

"...Really?"

"What do you want from me?" the boy demanded. "A poem? I won't judge you for your hobbies. Now get out. If I'm late, Yang will kill me."

Strangely enough, at the mention of Yang's name, Kirino's entire body went stiff. "Fine!" she suddenly snapped. "Go and see your girlfriend. Like I care!"

Kyousuke watched in mild shock as she stormed out, slamming the door shut as she did. "...What the hell is _her _problem?"

* * *

Kyousuke scowled heavily as he walked down the dimly lit street. He glanced at his watch to find that it was well past midnight. "This is the last time I _ever _go partying with Yang," he muttered to himself. Despite there being no alcohol to speak of at the party, the blonde had _still _managed to get heavily intoxicated.

How? He had no idea.

The poor boy had been forced to carry her home after she had passed out in the middle of the dance floor. It had all come to a head in an embarrassing incident, in which Yang's father had walked in on him laying her to bed. It wouldn't have been so bad if Yang — in her drunken stupor — hadn't been attempting to kiss him. After several terrifying minutes in which there was a great deal of shouting and pleading, Kyousuke began making his way home.

"Ah, damn," the teen muttered, suddenly remembering his mother's request. "Are Dust shops even open this late?"

Eventually, he made his way to Farbe Street, where his mother said a shop would be open and to her credit, she'd been correct. Thankful that he wouldn't have to go around town searching, Kyousuke entered the shop, aptly named _'From Dust Till Dawn'_. He nodded at the elderly shopkeeper before heading towards the merchandise. Strolling through the aisles, the black-haired boy began examining the mystic material.

Dust was an energy propellant, and acted as a power source for everything from day-to-day appliances to machines of war. There were many different varieties of Dust, with properties such as electricity, fire or ice. The more poetic often called it 'Nature's Wrath' due to its key role in the ancient war against the Creatures of Grimm and the eventual rise of human civilization.

After a quick scan down the aisle, Kyousuke found the type of Dust he was looking for and began piling them into the shopping bag his mother had given him before leaving the house. Once he had the desired amount, he made his way to the cashier, only to freeze in shock as several men suddenly began storming into the shop with guns drawn. Most of them wore dark black suits and red sunglasses, despite the time of day. But the lead man had a familiar face that Kyousuke had seen earlier this evening.

"Roman Torchwick…" he muttered. The red-haired man turned after hearing his name called.

"Oh, so you've heard of me?" Roman asked with a smirk. The man had bright red hair and green eyes. He wore a pure white suit jacket with black slacks and had a black bowler hat sitting crookedly on his head. Hanging from his lip was a large cigar and in his hands was a long cane.

"Who hasn't?" Kyousuke replied, raising his hands submissively as one of the henchmen pointed a gun at his head. "Being all over the news doesn't exactly help with your anonymity."

"Ooh, aren't we clever?" the man said, giving a mock round of applause. He chuckled before gesturing at his goons. "Grab the crystals." The men in black began spreading throughout the shop, grabbing whatever they could. Kyousuke heard one of the men demand that someone raise their arms.

'_Damn,_' Kyousuke thought. _' Someone else is getting caught up in this?'_

"Are you… robbing me?" a voice that was _very _familiar to him asked. Kyousuke's eyes widened. '_It can't be…!'_

He felt his panic spike as one of the henchmen was sent flying across the room. Roman glanced at the unconscious goon before nodding at the man currently pointing a gun at Kyousuke's head. The man nodded back and ran to go take care of the problem.

The black-haired boy ducked as the man and a large red blur went flying out the store window with a loud _crash_. His head snapping up, Kyousuke gazed out the now-shattered window to see a girl with red hair so dark, it was nearly black. Her outfit consisted of a one-piece dress of various shades of red and black as well as a pair of thick combat boots. However, her most prominent article of clothing was a dark red cloak wrapped around her shoulders. The girl smirked as she hefted an enormous scythe over her shoulder.

"Ruby?!" Kyousuke shouted, his fears confirmed.

"Big Bro?" the girl replied, her shock mirroring his own.

Ruby Rose was Yang's younger half-sister. She was in Kirino's class, two years beneath him. Like his own little sister, Ruby was also considered to be a child prodigy, with her combat skills surpassing even Kirino's.

But unlike Kirino, Ruby was a social dunce. 'Awkward' was the only way to describe her. As a result, she didn't have many friends and usually spent her time either training or following Yang around. Kyousuke's own relationship to her was mostly similar to her relationship with Yang. He was one of the few people she could genuinely call a close friend. Hell, Kyousuke considered Ruby a better little sister than his own _blood _sister.

And so, he could only watch with dread as his surrogate little sister prepared to take on a group of armed criminals.

"Ruby, what are you doing?!" Kyousuke hissed, hopping through the broken window and marching over to her. She glared at him, though in all honesty, it was more of a pout.

"I can't just stand back and do nothing!" Ruby said defensively. He responded with a swift flick to the forehead. "Ow!" She glared up at him with tears in her eyes, rubbing the spot gingerly.

"Well, this is certainly cute," Roman drawled, a single eyebrow raised. He glanced at his goons with a look that clearly said, _'What are you waiting for?'_ "Get them." Immediately, the men rushed through the broken windows and began sprinting towards them, weapons raised.

"Just stand back, Bro," Ruby grinned. "Crescent Rose and I will deal with them."

"Ruby, stop!" he shouted, but was duly ignored. "These people are dangerous!" He knew full well that Ruby was capable of handling herself. But if she got hurt, Yang would never forgive him. Hell, he would never forgive _himself_.

"Damn it…" Kyousuke muttered as he watched the small girl taking on an entire mob of criminals. It was just like that night three years ago…

"Damn it…" Memories began surfacing in his mind. Flashes of light. Screaming. Blood.

"Damn it…!" Anger. Fear. Self-loathing.

"_Damn it!_" Yang. Ruby. Manami...

"_**DAMN IT!**_"

Ruby flinched as she heard a voice suddenly shout from just a few inches away. She turned, eyes wide to see Kyousuke standing beside her, blocking a strike from behind with…

The most gorgeous blade she'd ever laid eyes on. It was primarily silver in color, with a bright red paint running along the edge. On the flat of the blade, she could barely make out an inscription.

_Invoke My Name - I am Spark_

Kyousuke's hands were currently wrapped around a black hilt with one finger resting on what appeared to be… a trigger?

"B-Bro…?" Ruby breathed, staring at the weapon in awe. Kyousuke grunted and violently kicked his opponent away from him. The black-haired boy glared with angry eyes at the men now attempting to surround them. His grip on his blade tightened. It had been three years since he'd wielded it in combat. And despite the time away from it, it still felt so _right_. Like it _belonged _with him. And he hated it; how right it felt in his hand.

He took a deep, calming breath. "Ruby," Kyousuke said after a while.

"Y-Yes?" the girl squeaked. She'd been so busy making googly eyes at his weapon that she'd lost focus on the battle entirely.

"It's been a while, so I'm trusting you to watch my back, okay?" He smiled at her. She flushed red.

"Y-Yes!" Ruby exclaimed. "Of course!"

Kyousuke spun his blade in a small arc before dashing forward. A blur of red in his peripheral vision told him that Ruby had done the same. He almost scoffed when one of the men attempted to intercept him with a metal pole. The look of shock on the man's face when it got sliced in half was absolutely priceless. A quick roundhouse to the temple sent the man tumbling to the ground.

"Watch out!" Ruby's voice shouted as she quickly intercepted a slash from his flank.

'_Sloppy,'_ He heard his old teacher's voice echo in his head. Kyousuke nodded at the redhead swiftly before shifting his weapon. Ruby watched as the sword transformed into an submachine gun before her eyes. The man's eyes widened as Kyousuke leveled the gun at his chest.

_BANG!_

The goon was sent flying backwards into a trashcan. Luckily for him, his aura had protected him from the brunt of the shot. But he wouldn't be getting back up any time soon. Roman stepped out onto the sidewalk, glancing down at the man. "You were worth every cent, truly." He said this with a look of disgust. "Well, kiddos. I think we can all agree that it's been an eventful evening."

He threw his cigar onto the ground and used his cane to stamp out the remaining embers.

"And as much as I'd like to stick around…" He raised the cane, revealing the barrel of a gun. "I'm afraid _this _is where we part ways."

"Shit," Kyousuke grunted as a small scope propped up on the man's weapon. He and Ruby immediately leapt to the side as a small Dust flare was fired from the man's cane. An enormous explosion wracked the street where the flare landed and sent the two teens flying into the wall of a nearby apartment building. Police sirens could be heard blaring in the distance.

Kyousuke glanced up, his ears still ringing from the explosion, to see that Roman had disappeared in the chaos.

"He's up there!" he vaguely heard Ruby exclaim, pointing across the street. The black-haired boy followed her gaze to see the criminal in question swiftly climbing up a fire escape. "We have to go after him!"

"Ruby, wait!" Kyousuke shouted, but was once again ignored as Ruby dashed across the street towards the ladder. "Ugh, stubborn girl!" He quickly chased after her and the two made their way up the fire escape. Upon nearing the top Ruby leapt up the final few steps and extended Crescent Rose.

"Stop right there!" the girl shouted as Kyousuke pulled himself up to join her.

From across the rooftop, Roman paused and heaved an irritated sign. "Persistent, aren't you?"

Suddenly, a loud roaring noise caused the two teens to cover their ears as a Dust-powered helicopter known as a 'Bullhead' took off from the alleyway beneath them. The enormous machine began creating a downward draft as it rose high into the air, nearly sending the teens flying over the roof's edge. Kyousuke looked up to see Roman jump into the helicopter before turning to face them with a grin on his face. "End of the line, kiddos!" He shouted over the copter's engine and tossed a red Dust crystal at their feet.

The black-haired boy's eyes widened. "Ruby, watch out!" he roared, but the redhead couldn't hear him over the roaring wind. Kyousuke grit his teeth and tackled her to the ground, shielding her with his body. He closed his eyes, braced himself and waited.

Roman let out a gleeful whoop as he watched the rooftop explode. His laughter died, however, when he saw a purple Dust shield where his targets had just been standing.

Kyousuke waited for what seemed like an eternity, but the blast never came. Cautiously, he opened his eyes and looked up in shock to see a tall, blonde-haired woman standing over them, her violet cloak billowing dramatically in the wind. In her hand was a riding crop raised high above her had, deploying a large Dust shield.

"Hmph!" The woman scoffed, shifting her glasses and staring at the red-haired man coldly.

"A… Huntress?" Kyousuke muttered.

"Umm… B-Bro…?" Ruby said quietly. "C-Could you get off?"

The boy glanced down at their rather embarrassing position and leapt off of her with a startled yelp. "S-Sorry!" he exclaimed, scratching the back of his head. Ruby simply nodded, her entire face flushed red. The two simply stared at each other, an awkward silence filling the air.

"Ahem." The blonde woman coughed, breaking them out of their daze.

"R-Right!" Kyousuke muttered, drawing his sword once again. Ruby did the same with her Crescent Rose.

Satisfied that they were no longer distracted, the woman turned her attention to the man in the helicopter. Her eyes narrowed and she flicked her wrist, sending bolts of purple energy flying into the vehicle. The Bullhead rocked from the impact, sending Roman stumbling back. He quickly grabbed hold of the door and entered the cockpit.

"We've got a Huntress!" he shouted to the dark-haired woman piloting the vehicle. She nodded and left the cockpit, handing the controls to Roman as she did so.

Back on the roof, the blonde Huntress narrowed her eyes and raised her riding crop once more. With a flick of her wrist, storm clouds began appearing in the sky above. From the clouds, icicles began falling, piercing the hull of the aircraft. Inside the helicopter, a dark silhouette stepped into view. Kyousuke was unable to make out her face in the shadows, but he could clearly see her hands igniting as she gathered fire-based Dust in her hands.

"Ruby, fall back!" Kyousuke shouted over the wind. "We'll just get in the way!"

"But, we have to help!" she yelled back.

"Then help me provide covering fire!" She nodded and the two teens fell back, just as a fireball came hurtling down from the aircraft. The Huntress blocked the attack with a shield, but her eyes widened as she saw the ground beneath her beginning to glow.

Flipping backwards, she managed to escape injury and looked up to see the helicopter being pelted with bullets. The blonde woman glanced behind her to see the two teenagers taking cover behind an air conditioning unit while firing their respective weapons.

Glad that they at least had enough sense to stay out of her way, she returned her attention to the aircraft above her. Raising her weapon, she began gathering the shattered pieces of concrete the prior explosion had created. Once a sufficient amount had been gathered, she used the rubble to form a lance and hurled it at the aircraft. Without a moment's hesitation, shadowy woman in the helicopter effortlessly destroyed it with a blast of fire.

Kyousuke and Ruby could only watch the ensuing duel in awe. _This _was what Hunters did on a daily basis.

'_This is what Kirino will be learning to do,' _the boy thought numbly. He vaguely registered Ruby shifting Crescent Rose back into its sniper rifle mode and begin firing at the woman. Almost robotically, he did the same with his weapon. Not that it helped much. The woman was swatting the bullets away as though they were flies.

Finally, after one last explosion, the aircraft seemed ready for takeoff. With a loud _boom _the Bullhead took off into the night sky, leaving the two teens alone with the blonde Huntress. Kyousuke flinched as the woman turned to stare at them coldly. He could hear police sirens rapidly approaching their location.

"Hey, Ruby," he muttered when the woman began approaching them. "I _really _think we should leave now."

But it seemed that Ruby had other ideas. She quickly rushed toward the woman and held out a small notebook. "You're a Huntress?! Can I have your autograph?"

"This is the police!**" **He heard a voice shouting through a megaphone. "We have the building surrounded! Come out with your hands up!"

Kyousuke facepalmed. Hard. There was only one thing he could say in a situation like this.

"Fuck my life..."

* * *

"Of all the boneheaded, irresponsible things I've ever witnessed, this takes the cake!" the blonde woman ranted as she paced around the interrogation room at the Vale City Police Department. "I hope you two realize that your actions will _not _be taken lightly."

Kyousuke flinched, seeing his father glaring at him from the corner of the room. "You endangered not only yourselves, but innocent bystanders while you were busy playing hero," Daisuke growled. "Do you have anything you'd like to say, Kyousuke?"

The black-haired boy merely sighed, shaking his head with a quiet, "No, sir…"

Ruby immediately protested. "It was my idea, Mr. Kousaka!" she exclaimed. "Kyousuke was just trying to protect me!"

"While that is certainly gallant of him," the blonde said coolly. "It's still no excuse. If it were up to me or Captain Kousaka, you'd be sent home with a pat on the back—" Ruby perked up at this. "And a slap on the wrist!" The girl flinched as the woman slammed the table with her riding crop.

"Fortunately for you two," Daisuke continued. "There's someone here that thinks otherwise."

The door opened and a middle-aged man with gray hair and brown eyes walked in. He had a slightly crooked nose, on which a small pair of teashades sat. The man wore a smart black suit and a dark-green scarf. In one hand he held a tray of cookies and in the other was a tray with two glasses of milk.

"Ruby Rose," he said in lieu of introduction. He placed the two trays in front of them and leaned in towards Ruby. "Hmm… You have silver eyes…"

"U-Um…" the girl stuttered, slightly weirded out.

"And," the man continued, turning his gaze towards the boy beside her. "Kyousuke Kousaka, son of our very own Captain Kousaka, correct?"

"Y-Yes, sir…" Kyousuke muttered awkwardly before clearing his throat. "May I ask who you are?" The man blinked, while the blonde woman began sputtering indignantly. In the corner of his eye, Kyousuke could see his father facepalm.

"B-Bro…!" Ruby whisper-yelled. "That's Professor Ozpin, the headmaster at Beacon Academy!"

"E-EH?!" Really? He had no idea!

Suddenly, the man let out a great laugh, as though this entire situation amused him greatly. Which, it probably did. "Oh, I certainly needed that." The man sighed, rubbing a tear from his eye. "Yes, I'm headmaster at Beacon. It's very nice to meet you, Mister Kousaka, Miss Rose."

"Nice to meet you, Professor!" Ruby exclaimed energetically, while Kyousuke merely nodded at him.

"So," Ozpin continued, gesturing at a scroll, which was currently showing replays of Ruby in combat with the henchmen. "Miss Rose. Where did you learn how to do _this_?"

"Signal Academy…?" Ruby replied, a bit uncertainly.

"_They_ taught you how to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" Ozpin repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, one teacher in particular." She corrected herself.

"I see…" The man gestured towards the tray of cookies. "Please, help yourself."

Ruby glanced at Kyousuke, who shrugged and took one. Ruby did likewise and hesitantly took a bite. And another. Soon enough, she had five or six cookies stuffed into her mouth. The adults stared at her incredulously while Kyousuke, who had seen this happen several times already, simply ignored it.

"...It's just that I've only seen one other scythe user this skilled before," Ozpin continued after several moments of silence. "A dusty old crow…"

"Mhh dasmaunklll," Ruby nodded, her cheeks still bulging with chocolatey-goodness.

"Ruby, chew and swallow." Kyousuke sighed. The girl did so.

"Sorry." She smiled sheepishly. "That's my uncle, Qrow."

"He works as a teacher at Signal," the black-haired teen elaborated for her. Ruby nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup!" the girl said with a grin. "I was complete garbage before he taught me. Now I'm all: _Yah! Wapah! Shakabooie!_" She emphasized her speech by making several random kung fu moves, nearly smacking Kyousuke in the face several times as she did.

"So I've noticed." Ozpin chuckled before turning his attention to the boy beside her. "And what about you, Mr. Kousaka? Glynda, if you please?" The woman nodded and changed the video clip from Ruby's battle performance to Kyousuke's. The frame froze on an image of him wielding his sword.

"An impressive weapon if I do say so myself," Ozpin remarked, staring at him intently. "The gunblade was one of the first converting weapons ever invented, but it's also known to be one of the most difficult to master."

"I'm hardly what you'd call a master." Kyousuke shrugged.

"Indeed," the woman, Glynda, chided. "Your form was shoddy at best."

"I believe that would be the result of three years of not wielding it," the man continued, a knowing look on his face. Kyousuke's expression tightened.

"But it was still _sooooooo _cool!" Ruby suddenly broke in, much to everyone's surprise. "Yang told me stories about it, but I've never seen it with my own eyes! That's Big Bro's famous gunblade, Blazefire Saber! Oh, it's so _cool__!" _The room's occupants simply stared at her in shock for several moments as she continued to gush about the sword. Once she realized that they were all staring, Ruby quieted down with a nervous giggle.

"Haha, sorry," she said with a sheepish grin. "I'm kind of a dork when it comes to weapons."

"I can tell." Ozpin chuckled. "Though I must say, I find it surprising that an adorable girl such as yourself is enrolled in the combat program at Signal."

"Well..." Ruby smiled. "It's always been my dream to become a Huntress. I've only got two more years at Signal. Then I plan on applying at Beacon. You see, my sister is applying there this year. She's trying to become a Huntress, I'm trying to become a Huntress — y'know, cause I-wanna-help-people-and-my-parents-always-said-you-should-help-others. And-I-thought-I-might-as-well-make-a-career-out-of-it. ImeanthepolicearecoolbutHuntressesare_sooooo_muchmoreromanticandexcitingand _**kyaaaa**_"

Once again, Ruby found the entire room staring at her, prompting her to deflate in embarrassment. Ozpin chuckled for a moment. "So, you want to come to my school?"

"More than anything." Ozpin shared a look with Glynda, who merely sighed. The man then turned his attention to Kyousuke once more.

"And what about you, Mister Kousaka?"

"What _about_ me?" The boy raised an eyebrow.

"I believe your sister will be enrolling this year," Ozpin elaborated. "Two years early, if I remember correctly."

"And?"

"Will you be enrolling this year as well?" he prodded, leaning forward slightly on his cane.

"No," Kyousuke replied bluntly.

"Oh?" The man frowned. "And may I ask why not?"

"To start, I don't have the credentials," Kyousuke said with a shrug. "And as you've pointed out, I've barely even _touched _my gunblade in three years."

"I see." Ozpin hummed thoughtfully. "Well, what would you say if I offered you a place at my school regardless?"

"I'd say you must have a few screws loose," the boy replied.

"Kyousuke!" his father snapped. The black-haired teen flinched, but held his gaze firmly on Ozpin.

"You'd refuse, then?" the man asked. At Kyousuke's nod, he turned to Ruby once again. "And what about you, Miss Rose?"

"A-Are you seriously offering what I think you're offering?" the girl squeaked, barely able to contain her excitement.

"On one condition," Ozpin smiled.

"Anything!" Ruby cried.

"My condition is, Mister Kousaka must attend as well."

Kyousuke's eyes widened as Ruby suddenly turned to him with her infamous puppy-dog-eyes. He grit his teeth as the entire room looked at him, awaiting his answer. "Kyousuke," his father spoke up. "Professor Ozpin has been very kind thus far. He's used his authority to clear up everything regarding tonight's incident and ensured that your names will be kept well away from the media. You _will _accept his offer."

"Please, please, _pleeeeeaase_!" Ruby begged, her eyes shining with tears.

"Damn it…" Kyousuke murmured before glaring at Ozpin. "Why?"

"I'm afraid I must ask you to elaborate your question, Mister Kousaka."

"Why are you so determined to get me into your school?"

The gray-haired man just stared at him for several moments. Finally, he folded his fingers in front of his mouth and leaned forward onto the table, staring at him intently. "Mister Kousaka," he said this with a strange look in his eye. "When I look at you, all I see is wasted potential. You could be great and yet, you hold yourself back. Why is that?"

"I have a feeling you already _know _why, Professor," Kyousuke said wearily. He glanced at his father once again, meeting his steely gaze for several moments before turning to Ruby, who was still staring at him pleadingly. Then, with a great, world-weary sigh, he nodded. "Fine. I'll accept your offer, Professor."

"Excellent." Ozpin smiled as Ruby cheered in the seat next to him. Glynda rolled her eyes while his father simply nodded in satisfaction.

Kyousuke, on the other hand, just rubbed the bridge of his nose in irritation.

'_I just want a normal life!' _he lamented to himself.

* * *

"Your mother and sister are asleep," Daisuke said as he dropped his son off in front of their home. "Don't wake them up. I'm still needed for the investigation, so I probably won't be back tonight. Don't stay up too late."

"Yeah, yeah," the boy muttered as he got out of the car.

"And Kyousuke!" the large man called out to his retreating back, prompting Kyousuke to turn, a single eyebrow raised. His father nodded at him. "Good work tonight."

The teenager could only stare in shock as his father promptly pulled out of the driveway and sped away towards the police station. "Did he just… praise me?" Shaking his head at the surrealism of the situation, he made his way inside. As expected, all the lights were out. Kyousuke slipped his shoes off and gingerly made his way upstairs. Once he found the door to his room, he slipped inside.

Immediately, his eyes were drawn to a bright light sitting on his bed. The light of some sort of electronic device. "Who's there?!" Kyousuke growled, flipping the lights on and placing his hand on the hilt of his gunblade. Before he could even react, however, a hand was clamped over his mouth. He struggled for a moment before his eyes found the angry blue orbs of his sister. "Krrnn?!" His shout was muffled by Kirno's hand.

"Shut up!" she hissed. "Mom's still asleep!" He calmed himself and she released her grip on him.

"What are you doing in my room?" the boy demanded. She, of course, ignored him.

"Where the _hell _have you been?" Kirino growled. "Banging that blonde bimbo and her huge tits? How disgusting!"

"First of all, don't call her that," Kyousuke said sternly. "Second, no, I wasn't. And third, don't say _tits_!"

"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you to get home?" she continued as though he hadn't spoken.

Kyousuke raised an eyebrow at her. "And why the hell were you waiting for me?"

His sister grinned at him and shoved a CD case into his arms. "Play this and finish it by Monday."

"Like hell!" the boy roared, staring at the box incredulously. "This is an eroge!"

"It's not just an eroge!" she exclaimed, stars in her eyes. "It's _Rabu Rabu Imouto_! It's considered a masterpiece!"

"That's not the point!" Kyousuke hissed, though it was clear that she wasn't taking no for an answer.

'_I just want my normal life back!'_

* * *

**A/N: Hello, everyone. Sorry, but this isn't a chapter of Devil Among Devils or even a spinoff of it. This is something I've been interested in doing for a few months now. I believe this is the FIRST OreImo/RWBY crossover. How exciting! Or not, I guess.**

**Now, some of you may recognize Kyousuke's gunblade. It's the same one Lightning uses in FFXIII. Why does he have it? Because I am an uncreative motherfucker.**

* * *

**Now let's talk relationships. I'm think I explained them all well enough in the main fic, but if you're still confused:**

**Yang is Kyousuke's osananajimi (childhood friend)**

**And since Yang is pretty much Ruby's only friend, that makes Kyousuke her friend, pretty much by default. She also fills in the little sister role that Kirino left void.**

**Kirno and Kyousuke's relationship is the same as canon.**

**And Manami… well, she's kinda… dead. (Or is she? Muahahaha!)**

***cough***

* * *

**Anyway. Since this is an OreImo crossover, there will probably be a lot of slice-of-life scenes in this fic. But since it's also RWBY, there will still be plenty of action. It'll be a real task trying to balance it all, but I'm really looking forward to it.**

**So, tell me. Who do you want to see at Beacon? Who should Kyousuke's teammates be? Who should Kirino's teammates be? What should their team names be? I already have several ideas, but I'd like your input as well. (This is a not-so-subtle attempt at coaxing reviews out of you.)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**-Your King**


	2. Past Promises

**A/N: I changed Taiyang's name and appearance to match his canon counterpart. Likewise, I changed Qrow's mannerisms to fit with canon.**

* * *

Yang let out tortured groan, pulling the blankets over her head in an attempt to block the sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. Though she'd had fun last night, the pounding headache she was currently experiencing left her questioning her decision to spike the punch bowl with vodka. Her primary target hadn't even _touched _the damn stuff!

"Damn it…" the blonde muttered as she began hearing several clamoring voices coming from downstairs. "Could they be any louder?" She grabbed her pillow and wrapped it around her head in an attempt to block out the noise. It worked for a minute or two before the voices began to steadily increase in volume.

Yang let out a low growl in the back of her throat, her eyes turning to glare at the door murderously. "Oi!" She shouted, but all she succeeded in doing was worsening her headache. After heaving an aggravated sigh, the girl threw the covers off and stumbled her way to the door.

"-ever do something so dangerous again!" her father's voice carried upstairs as her bedroom door swung open. "Do you understand me, Ruby Rose?"

"Yes, Dad…" her little sister's voice said in a surprisingly demure tone. Yang frowned as she began making her way down the stairs. What did Ruby do this time? After several minutes of alternating between descending and grasping her head in pain, the blonde finally made it to the kitchen, where Ruby, their father and — to Yang's surprise — their uncle Qrow sat around the dining table.

"Old Man Qrow?" Yang questioned as she dragged herself into the room.

"Hey, kiddo," the older man said with a smirk plastered onto his face as he took a swig from his ever-present flask. "Rough night?"

"And you!" The girls' father suddenly turned his wrath towards his eldest child. "You told me there would be no alcohol at that party! You're lucky Kyousuke was there to drag you home! Do you have any idea how dangerous that could have been for a young woman like you?!"

The girl let out a groan as she sat down next to her baby sister. "Yeah, yeah," she muttered, rubbing her forehead wearily. "I'm sorry."

"One _'yeah' _is enough," the man said sternly.

His name was Taiyang Xiao Long, the father of Yang and Ruby. A widow, twice over, he had golden hair the same shade as his daughter as well as a pair of vibrant blue eyes. Sitting next to him was his old teammate as well as Yang and Ruby's uncle, Qrow Branwen. Much like his namesake, the man had black hair and a pair of crimson eyes.

"I'll be dealing with you later, Yang," Taiyang said sharply. "When you're not as... _indisposed_ as you are now."

Yang rolled her eyes and pulled a plate of pancakes over. "Yes, sir," she grumbled, grimacing as her headache intensified. "So, what was all that yelling about earlier?"

"Well, look at the time," Ruby suddenly stood. "I better go…!"

"Sit." Their father commanded. The girl did so, a stricken look on her face. "Well, Yang. Last night, your sister thought it would be a good idea to attack a well-known criminal and his gang of thieves."

"You _what?_" the blonde demanded, staring at her sister incredulously.

"Well, you see, I— uh…"

"How could you just attack a _dangerous _criminal—"

"Yang, I…"

"And not invite _ME_?!" the blonde roared, pounding her fist into the table and nearly causing it to collapse.

"Yang!" their father growled.

Ruby's face melted in relief before grinning at her sister happily. "You should have been there!" she exclaimed. "I was all, _waaaah… hiya!_"

"Man, you have all the luck," Yang grinned, bringing a fork-full of pancakes towards her mouth.

"And then, Kyousuke whips out his gunblade and starts kicking butt, too!" Ruby gushed. "It was awesome!"

_**Clatter**__._

The fork fell back onto the plate, creating a harsh noise that caused all three of her family members to cringe. The redhead turned to her sister in confusion. "Sis?" Ruby questioned. The blonde girl simply stared at her in mute shock. Her mouth moved, but no words came out.

Finally, after several minutes of silence, Yang spoke. "H-He used it?" she asked urgently. "He used his gunblade?"

"Y-Yes…?"

"He used _Blazefire Saber?_"

"Yes," Ruby smiled eagerly. "It was just as beautiful as you said it was. Not flashy or intricate. It just had a simple elegance about it."

"I-I don't believe it…" Yang whispered, shaking her head. Her breakfast sat forgotten before her. "Kyo actually used it? It's been… three years..."

"And I think there was something else?" Qrow suggested with a grin on his face as he took another swig from his flask. Beside him, their father scowled slightly.

"That's right!" Ruby exclaimed, practically bouncing in excitement. "Yang, guess what! I'm going to Beacon!"

"I still don't think she's ready," Taiyang grumbled. "She still has two more years left at Signal..." Qrow clapped a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, though he still wore an amused expression on his face.

"Seriously?" Yang was broken out of her reverie and turned to stare at the younger girl in shock. "But, how?"

"Well, during the battle, we ran into Professor Goodwitch — Ozpin's assistant," Ruby explained. "The Professor saw our performance and offered us a place at Beacon!"

"Wait," the blonde broke in, her eyes widening. "Did you say… _us_?"

"Your little boyfriend put on quite the show, or so I'm told," Qrow pipped in, looking bored as he casually twirled a fork around his fingers. "Or at least, it was enough to get Ozpin to offer him a spot on the roster. He's always hated wasted potential."

Taiyang just sighed. "At least I know there'll be _someone_ with a good head on their shoulders to keep an eye on you two..."

Yang just stared at them for several moments before a grin slowly made its way onto her face. The blonde girl broke into a fit of giddy laughter as she pulled Ruby into a hug. "Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better!" Yang exclaimed. Suddenly, she stood up, a gleam in her eye. "I gotta go see Kyo!"

She spun around and made to leave, except…

"And where do you think _you're_ going, young lady?" Taiyang demanded. "Did you forget I have yet to assign punishment for your little mishap last night?"

Yang flinched and slowly turned to face him, a pout on her face. "_Pleeeaase_, Daddy?" she sniffed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I-I promise never to do it again."

Her father cringed at the expression. Finally, after several moments, he sighed. "Fine," the man said wearily. His daughter cheered and gave him a kiss on the cheek before dashing out the door.

"Hey, Yang!" Ruby called as she chased after her. "Wait for me!"

Taiyang watched as his children ran out the door to go see their longtime friend. Qrow chuckled at the look on his face. "Hmm, you're getting soft, Tai," he said at length.

"Shut up," the blond man muttered, shaking his head. '_They look more and more like their mothers every day.'_

They were silent for several minutes before Qrow brought up something he'd been wondering for a while now. "Hey, wasn't Yang hungover just a few minutes ago?" The girl had seemed perfectly fine when she left.

The two old friends shared a puzzled look over the strange phenomenon before shrugging. It was _Yang _they were talking about, after all.

* * *

Across the city, another person, despite being awake for several hours now, was just as disheveled as the blonde girl in question. "Those damn brats," Roman Torchwick muttered to himself as he fingered a soot stain on his once-pristine white jacket. "They ruined my brand new suit."

The red-haired man strode through a labyrinth of industrial transport boxes until he came upon a small workbench, upon which lay a large map of the Greater Vale Area. "Honestly," he continued under his breath. "Notorious criminal, Roman Torchwick: robbing Dust stores? Just what the hell does that woman need with all this Dust, anyway?"

"That's for me to know and you to carry out, Roman," a sultry voice said from behind one of the boxes. "Like the good little foot soldier you are."

Roman noticeably jumped at the voice, quickly spinning around to see a young woman approaching him. She had dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders and a pair of amber eyes. The woman wore a dark-red, off-the-shoulders, v-neck mini-dress with yellow designs that reminded him strongly of flowing lava.

"Whoa…!" the red-haired man exclaimed, backing away from her nervously. "Cinder! I-I thought you took off already!"

"I just wanted to… clarify a few things with you before I take my leave," the dark-haired temptress said as she began to slowly walk circles around him, every step she took oozing sensuality. The red-haired man swallowed. "You'll take care not to have a repeat of last night, won't you?"

"Of course," Roman murmured, following her movements anxiously. "Those brats were an… unexpected factor. If they get in my way again, I'll kill them myself. You can be sure of that."

"Ah, yes. About that…"

It happened faster than Roman could have possibly reacted. Cinder threw her hand forward, whipping it across his face harshly. The crack of skin contacting skin echoed off the walls and the redhead was nearly sent flying into the desk behind him.

"If I find out that you've done so, I guarantee you'll join them soon after." Her voice was positively glacial as she sneered at his still-staggering form.

Roman looked up at her, his vision still reeling. "Those _brats_?" he asked incredulously. "And just what's so special about them?"

"I couldn't care less about the _girl_," Cinder scoffed, turning on her heel and making her way towards the parked Bullhead. A henchman sat in the cockpit, ready to fly her wherever it was she planned on going. "Do as you wish with her. But the boy is _mine_."

Roman watched in mild shock as the woman climbed into the large machine. The Bullhead rose up from the helipad and through the open roof of the warehouse. Finally, with a roaring _boom_, it took off into the skies above. The red-haired man shook his head. "I don't know what you did, brat," he muttered, turning his attention towards the map of Vale once again. "But it looks like somehow, you ended up on Cinder's bad side."

And if this was the case, the boy would need all the help he could get. He almost felt sorry for the kid. Almost.

"I hope he's training his ass off." Roman placed a cigar in his mouth and quickly lit it with his zippo. "Cause God knows he's gonna need it."

* * *

Kyousuke blearily opened his eyes as the sunlight began to stream through his windows. Yawning slightly, he made to get up, only to feel a weight against his shoulder. Glancing to his left, he saw his beloved little sister sleeping peacefully beside him. Smiling slightly, he

1\. Gently hugged her close.

2\. Pulled the blanket over her without waking her.

3\. Kicked her out of bed without question.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he shouted, violently kicking the slumbering girl out of his bed.

"Gaah!" the _real _Kyousuke exclaimed as Kirino punched him in the nose.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" his sister roared. "Look, you made Shiori-chan cry! You... You _monster_!"

"Why are you making me do this?!" Kyousuke shouted back, gesturing wildly towards his computer, on which an eroge was currently running.

"Unbelievable!" Kirino muttered, ignoring him completely. "Who could kick an innocent, sleeping girl out of bed like that?"

'_Says the bitch that slaps her brother in the face to wake him up,_' Kyousuke thought snidely, remembering the incident from last night. Kirino had woken him up at a godforsaken hour to show him her extensive collection of eroge and anime. In his sleep-deprived stupor, he'd promised to help with her hobby, but he certainly didn't remember agreeing to _this!_

"_G-Gomen ne, Onii-chan…" _**Shiori **said pitifully.

"See?" Kirino demanded. "Don't you feel sorry for her?"

"She's a cluster of pixels sitting on my computer," Kyousuke said bluntly. "So, no; not really."

His sister looked ready to spit out an angry retort, but was silenced as a loud banging noise suddenly began reverberating throughout the house. It sounded like it was coming from downstairs...

"Kyo!" a familiar voice shouted from outside. "Open up!"

"Yang?" Kyousuke exclaimed.

"Ugh, what is _she _doing here?" Kirino muttered, irritation seeping into her voice.

"I don't know," he replied, a slightly confused expression making its way onto his face. "I figured she'd be stuck at home with a hangover." Kyousuke turned towards Kirino with a glare. "But, whatever. I'm gonna go greet them. Eject that eroge and take it back to your room."

He didn't wait for her to respond, instead jogging towards the stairs. "Kyo! Hurry up and open the door!"

"I'm coming!" he roared, as Yang continued to pound on the front door. "Just hold your horses!"

Kyousuke opened the door to see Yang grinning at him. "Hey, Kyo, I'm here to _Yang_ out!" The door immediately slammed shut. "No, wait! I'm sorry! No more puns, I swear!" A moment later, the door was unlocked once more and Kyousuke suddenly found his face wedged between two _very _soft objects.

"Kyo!" the blonde cried, having captured him in a bone-crushing hug. "I heard the news!"

"Nwws?" he asked, his voice muffled by Yang's shirt.

"That you're coming to Beacon with me!" she elaborated.

"And," With a great heave, Kyousuke freed himself from her ironclad grip, gasping for breath as he did so. "Where did you hear that?"

"I told her, Big Bro," Ruby said from behind her older sister. The black-haired boy turned his gaze towards her, slightly irked. "Are you… angry?"

He continued to stare at her for several moments before sighing. "No," Kyousuke sighed. "She would have found out sooner or later." He blinked however, and took another look at his childhood friend. "Isn't that the same dress from last night?"

Yang glanced down at her attire. It was indeed the same dress she'd worn to the party last night. "Ahaha," the blonde chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I was a little too excited with the news and all. I still have some spare clothes here, right?"

"_Some?_" Kyousuke repeated, raising an eyebrow at her. "You realize that half the clothes in my closet are _yours_, right?"

"You never know," Yang shrugged, a grin on her face. "You _have _thrown my stuff away before."

"That was last week," he snapped. "And in the time between then and now, you _still _somehow managed to fill my closet with your stuff again."

"That's just me showing you how much I care, Kyo!" The blonde threw him a thumbs-up and a wink before walking past him and making her way upstairs.

"Bro!" Ruby suddenly shouted, causing him to jump in shock. Kyousuke turned to see her practically bouncing where she stood. "Can I see it?"

"See what?" he asked in confusion.

"Blazefire Saber!" the redhead exclaimed, barely able to contain her excitement. "Can I see it? _Pleeeease?_ I promise I won't break it!"

Kyousuke rolled his eyes and sighed. "It's on my nightstand," he replied. "Go on ahead. I'll go grab us some drinks."

Ruby wasted no time in brushing past him and bounding up the stairs. However, before she could make it to the top, she found herself face-to-face with Kyousuke's sister. "Oh!" the red-haired girl squeaked. "H-Hi, Kirino!" The other girl didn't even bother responding, deliberately brushing past her and down the stairs. Kyousuke's eyes narrowed as he spied Ruby's crestfallen expression.

"Oi!" he snapped. "The least you can do is say _'hi' _back."

His sister merely threw him a dirty look. "I'm going out," she said bluntly before walking away from him and out the door.

"That little…!" He glanced up the stairs to see that Ruby had already left. With a sigh, he made his way towards the kitchen and retrieved three cans of Yang's favorite _Ol' King Cold_ and three glasses of ice, placing all of them on a small serving tray. However, as he made his way back upstairs, he noticed there was a very suspicious lack of noise coming from his room. Usually, whenever weaponry was involved, Ruby would be gushing very loudly and Yang would be attempting to calm her down.

But as he approached the semi-closed door of his room, Kyousuke heard none of this. Just an eerie silence.

Eyes narrowing, Kyousuke pushed the door open. The first thing he noticed was several articles of female clothing on the floor, including - embarrassingly enough - a pair of yellow panties and a matching bra. The second thing he noticed was that Blazefire Saber lay untouched upon his nightstand. The third and final thing he noticed was that the two girls were currently sitting at his computer, transfixed with something on the screen.

"Hey," Kyousuke called. "What are you-"

"_Ahn!" _A very erotic noise came from his computer. "_Onii-chan… d-dame…!"_

Kyousuke immediately went pale. "N-No!" he shouted, his voice going up an octave.

"Wow, Kyo," Yang said, a look of surprise on her face as she glanced up at him. "I didn't know you were into this kind of thing." Ruby, meanwhile, refused to make eye contact with him, her face completely red.

"This isn't what it looks like!" Kyousuke cried hysterically. "I swear!"

"_Onii-chan… I-Ikuuuu!" _He nearly lost it as the two-dimensional girl on his computer reached climax. If possible, Ruby's face grew even redder while Yang had a shit-eating grin on hers.

"It's alright, Kyo," the blonde said slyly. "Or should I say... Nii-san?"

"Y-You _are _at that age…" Ruby added, shyly bumping her two index fingers together. She still wouldn't make eye contact with him. "O-Onii-chan."

Kyousuke simply fell to his knees, sobbing brokenly.

* * *

In downtown Vale, in a small laboratory, two adults sat conversing. The light from a nearby lamp was all that prevented the room from being engulfed in darkness. "I see," Yoshino hummed, smiling happily as she fiddled with a microscope. "So, that's what happened, huh?"

"Yes." Daisuke nodded from his position leaning against her desk. "He'll be attending Beacon next month."

"I always knew my baby had it in him," she said, a hint of pride entering her voice. "And what about Torchwick?"

The large man frowned. "The search is still on," he said gruffly. "Goodwitch and the children said he escaped in a Bullhead with a dark-haired woman. The goons we arrested were useless. They were just hired muscle. No information to be found _there_."

"There, there," Yoshino said, patting him comfortingly. "You'll get him eventually. You always do."

Daisuke smirked and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a beeping noise coming from his wife's scroll. Yoshino reached into her coat pocket and retrieved the small communications device. "Rachel?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow at the brown-haired secretary that appeared on her scroll.

"Professor Kousaka," the woman squeaked, uncharacteristically nervous. "Y-You've got a call on line two."

"I see," Yoshino raised an eyebrow at her before sighing. "Thank you, Rachel."

"I'd better get going then," Daisuke checked his watch. "I should get back to the station anyway."

"I'm sorry," his wife said apologetically.

"It's fine," he chuckled, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. "I know how busy you are."

And with that, he took his leave. "I'll try and come home tonight!" she called just as the door began to swing closed. "We'll throw a celebratory dinner for Kyousuke!"

Daisuke nodded before closing the door behind him. Yoshino sighed tiredly and reached for her scroll once again. "Schnee Dust Company - Research Division," the brown-haired woman said tiredly as she answered line two. "Division Head, Yoshino speaking."

"Is this a bad time, Yoshino?" a well-dressed, white-haired man asked, raising an eyebrow at her through the scroll.

"Oh!" Yoshino exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock. "Mr. President, what a surprise!"

The man sighed and she could tell he had to physically restrain himself from rolling his eyes. "I believe we've known each other long enough to skip the formalities, my dear," he said.

"Sorry, Svernare," she said sheepishly. "So, what's your reason for calling? I already sent you my latest reports, so it can't be that."

"Is it so wrong to call an old friend?" the white-haired man asked.

"You never call without a reason, Svernare," Yoshino smiled knowingly. He merely stared at her for several moments before sighing.

"You know me too well," he admitted. "It's about your son."

Yoshino blinked at him, confusion plain on her face. "What about Kyousuke?"

* * *

Kyousuke sneezed. He blinked, rubbing his nose in confusion.

"Gesundheit," Yang called out from her lounging position on his bed. Beside her, Ruby was busy examining (read: gushing) over his gunblade. After their rather embarrassing encounter with Kirino's eroge, things had finally calmed down after Kyousuke had managed to convince them that one of his classmates had insisted he play it.

"It's dual cartridge compatible?" Ruby exclaimed as she ejected the magazine from the hilt of the blade.

"Yup," Yang grinned. "It also has an auto-adapter, so it can use any ammo you feed it. Unfortunately, it can't fire while in Blade Mode."

Ruby's brow furrowed in thought. "But, Big Bro kept his finger on the trigger," she said, remembering the encounter from last night. "Why do that if it can't fire?"

"That's where the dual cartridge comes in," Kyousuke said, looking up from his computer, where he was surfing the web. "The second cartridge is reserved almost entirely for Blade Mode. It's filled with special HF — High Frequency — rounds."

"The HF rounds make the blade resonate with high frequency vibrations," Yang elaborated, a nostalgic grin on her face. "But since it's vibrating at such high speeds, it becomes nearly impossible to control and takes _years_ to master properly. The HF rounds trade control for pure power; increasing the blade's cutting ability tenfold. I've seen that thing cut through three feet of solid concrete like a hot knife through butter."

Ruby practically had stars in her eyes and she almost floated over to the older boy. "Bro!" she cried, grabbing his arm and drooling slightly. "Can you modify Crescent Rose to use your HF rounds?"

Kyousuke chuckled before removing himself from her grip. "Sorry, no can do, Ruby," he said. "HF rounds are incredibly dangerous in the hands of the untrained. They're a trade secret passed down to me by my teacher."

"Your teacher?" the redhead repeated. "Oh! Can you introduce me? Maybe he'll show me how…!"

The black-haired boy flinched, however. "Eheh," He rubbed the back of his head. "I don't think she'd take too kindly to me showing up at her doorstep."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Let's just say she's not the most accommodating of people," Yang piped in, shaking her head slightly. "I've only met her a handful of times. Strictest woman you'd ever meet."

"Not only that, but we sort of had a... falling out…" Kyousuke said quietly. "She didn't appreciate me giving up my training."

"But… why did you give up?" Ruby asked carefully, sensing the solemn atmosphere.

"Let's just say that something happened three years ago," he shrugged. "And as a result, I swore that I would never fight again."

"But… what about last night?" the redhead questioned.

"That was an exception," Kyousuke admitted. "I couldn't let you deal with them on your own. If you had gotten hurt, I never would have forgiven myself."

Ruby's mind drifted to the events of the previous evening. When Roman had tossed that Dust crystal on the ground, she hadn't even noticed it. But Kyousuke had. He could have easily avoided it himself, but he chose to protect her instead of himself…

"Big Bro…" Ruby said softly. "I never got to say it last night, but… thank you. You saved my life back on the roof."

"I didn't do anything," Kyousuke snorted. "It was Ms. Goodwitch who saved us from the explosion."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Yang shouted, eyes darting between the two. "Roof? _Explosion?" _She thought the two had just dealt with some run-of-the-mill thieves. She thought her dad was just overreacting, like he always did. But from the sound of things, the two had nearly gotten themselves _killed_.

"Well, when we were chasing Torchwick—"

"Wait, _Torchwick_?" Yang repeated. "As in _Roman _Torchwick? The guy that's been all over the news? _That _Torchwick?"

Ruby nodded meekly. "Yeah, him," she said.

"Ruby, why didn't you tell me any of this before?" the blonde girl demanded.

"Because I knew you'd freak out like this!" the redhead snapped. "You and dad are always like that. I'm not a little girl anymore. I drink _milk!_"

Yang's lip twitched, but she just sighed. "Alright," she said. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"Right…" Ruby muttered. "When we were chasing him, he threw a volatile Dust crystal at our feet. I was too distracted by the Bullhead to notice and I couldn't hear Kyousuke shouting at me to run. So, he tackled me to the ground and shielded me with his body." Yang looked at him in shock as Ruby grew visibly upset. "If Ms. Goodwitch hadn't been there, you… you would have…"

"Kyo…"

"But I wasn't," Kyousuke snapped, uncomfortable with the unnecessary attention they were giving to his actions. "No one died and no one was injured. That's all that matters."

"But-"

"It's fine, Ruby," he insisted. "It's really no big deal."

Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a beeping noise coming from Kyousuke's scroll. The black-haired boy sighed in relief, glad for an excuse to cut this uncomfortable situation short. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. The two girls nodded and he opened his scroll. He blinked at who he saw on the other end of the call. "Mom?"

"Ah, Kyousuke!" his mother exclaimed. "Oh, is that Yang and Ruby I see back there?"

"Hey, Mrs. K!" Yang greeted cheerfully, her mood doing a complete 180°. Ruby simply waved at her, not feeling very cheery at the moment.

"What are you calling for, Mom?" Kyousuke questioned. "Aren't you really busy?"

"I'm never too busy for my children, Kyousuke," his mother admonished. "But, in a way, you're right. Something has… come up. It would be better if I explained in person. I sent someone to pick you up."

He raised an eyebrow at her "Right now?" Kyousuke asked incredulously. He gestured towards the two girls. "I'm kind of busy hosting at the moment…"

"I'm sorry," Yoshino said apologetically. "But it's rather important." She turned to the two girls in question. "I'm sorry, you two. But if you're willing to stick around for a few hours, we'll be throwing a small dinner party. You're more than welcome to join us."

"Thanks," Ruby said, shaking her head. "But—"

"Sounds great, Mrs. K!" Yang exclaimed, cutting her sister off.

"Wonderful!" Yoshino said, clapping her hands together happily. "Kyousuke, Rachel should be there any moment now…" Just as she said this, a black Rolls-Royce pulled into the driveway and honked. Yang let out a low, appreciative whistle at the machine.

"Since when do secretaries drive Rolls?" Kyousuke exclaimed.

"It actually belongs to the person I want you to meet," Yoshino said with a mysterious smile. "He insisted that you… arrive in a dignified manner."

"And why does he care how I arrive?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll explain when you get here," she said. "Don't keep Rachel waiting." And with that, she ended the call. Kyousuke merely sighed and closed his scroll.

"Sorry about this, girls," he said. Yang waved it off.

"No worries, Kyo," she grinned. "We'll just hang out in my room."

"It's not _your_ room. It's the guest room."

"It might as well be my room."

"Whatever," he sighed, grabbing a coat from his closet. "There's food in the fridge. Take whatever you want if you get hungry." He grabbed Blazefire Saber and slung it onto a harness on his lower back. Then, with one final wave, he left. Ruby turned to her sister once he was out of sight.

"Why did you tell them we'd stay?" the redhead asked.

"Well, for one, Mrs. K is an awesome cook," Yang said with a grin. "And this also gives us a chance to snoop around. Let's see what other dirty things Kyo is hiding!"

Ruby flushed red but didn't stop her.

* * *

Outside, Kyousuke approached the parked car with a confused expression on his face. The person standing beside it was definitely _not _his mother's secretary. It was an elderly man wearing a smart black suit and a black chauffeur's hat. "Master Kousaka," the man greeted. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Er, hi…" Kyousuke chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry, but I was expecting a woman named Rachel…?"

"I'm right here, Kyousuke." The backseat door opened and a mousy-haired woman stepped out. "I'm sorry, but we're running a bit late. Would you mind just getting in?"

"Yeah, sure." The black-haired boy slid inside the surprisingly spacious backseat. Rachel slid in after him. The elderly man closed the door behind her before taking a seat behind the wheel. "Rachel," Kyousuke said after they'd pulled out of the driveway. "What's going on? And who is this?"

"That's Piers," the woman replied. The man in question tipped his hat, smiling at him through the rear-view mirror. "He'll be our chauffeur for the day. As for what's going on, I'm afraid there's not much I can tell you that you don't already know."

The teen glanced out the window to see the scenery of downtown Vale passing by as they cruised down the street. "Well, can you at least tell me where we're going? This isn't the way to my mother's lab."

"To the Schnee Company Headquarters here in Vale," Rachel replied before reaching underneath the seat and pulling out a leather suitcase. "Now, I'm sorry, but I'm going to need you to change out of those clothes."

"Change?" he repeated, staring at the suitcase incredulously.

"Please, we don't have much time." Kyousuke spent the next several minutes in a wild flurry of flailing limbs as Rachel forced him into an expensive-looking three-piece suit.

"No!" he snapped, as Rachel procured a bottle of hair gel from the suitcase. The entire ordeal had left him very agitated. "You're not putting that crap in my hair."

Rachel glanced at her watch and sighed. "You're right, we don't have time," she said, prompting him to open his mouth to issue a hot retort. "We're here."

"Huh?" Kyousuke glanced out the window to find himself in the shadow of the single biggest skyscraper he had ever seen.

"Master Kousaka." The teen was broken out of his reverie by Piers' voice as the older man opened the door. Numbly, Kyousuke stepped out of the car, still staring at the absolutely massive example of modern architecture. He'd seen it hundreds of times before. Hell, he doubted there was a single point in the city where you _couldn't _see it. But standing before it now made him realize just how _enormous _it was; and how enormous the Schnee Company was as a whole.

But what really hit Kyousuke the hardest was how long it'd been there — and _why_. The building itself had only finished construction less than five years ago. The Schnee Company's main headquarters was in Atlas, after all.

However, its research division and more importantly, its _Head_ was located here. His mother's presence here in Vale was slowly, but surely forcing the company to relocate. Such was the power and influence Yoshino Kousaka held. Kyousuke had known this fact for years, but his mother had always made it seem so insignificant… so _trivial _that he'd never given it much thought.

"Let's go, Kyousuke." Rachel urged, tapping him on the small of his back. The black-haired teen swallowed the lump in his throat and nervously readjusted his necktie before following the mousy-haired woman. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he slightly regretted not letting Rachel gel his hair.

They entered the building and Kyousuke found that the building's interior was just as impressive as its exterior. The two completely bypassed the receptionist's desk and — after Rachel scanned her ID card on a terminal — entered a large, spacious elevator. As they began to ascend to the highest levels, Kyousuke could feel his anticipation mounting. He wished Yang was here, if only to break the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between Rachel and himself. He hoped those girls were staying out of trouble.

* * *

Across the city, Yang sneezed. She blinked at the randomness of the occurrence before shrugging and continuing her raid on Kyousuke's stash of porno mags.

* * *

Kyousuke and Rachel continued their ascent in the elevator. The only sound disrupting the otherwise silent ride was Frank Sinatra's _Fly Me to the Moon_ coming from the elevator speakers. Then, after several more moments of awkward silence, the elevator let out a _ding_. Kyousuke glanced up to see that they were on… the 131st floor! The elevator doors opened and he found himself looking through a long passage. On the far side was an intricate mahogany door.

"Your mother is in the conference hall." Rachel gestured towards the doorway. "Best not to keep them waiting."

"Wait, who is _them_?" Kyousuke demanded. The woman merely shook her head, an amused smile on her face as she gently pushed him out and pressed the 'descend' button. The elevator doors closed and Kyousuke suddenly found himself standing alone in the hallway. Taking a deep, calming breath, the black-haired teen strode towards the large double-doors, pausing only momentarily before reaching up and throwing them open.

What he saw was _not_ what he had been expecting. Kyousuke had half-expected to find himself in a darkened room, surrounded by huge electronic monoliths, demanding that he pilot an Evangelion to save the world from the Angels. He would be lying if he said he wasn't slightly disappointed. Not everyone got to pilot a giant robot, after all!

No, what he found instead was a brightly lit room with a long conference table. Most of the seats were empty, as there were only three individuals present. One was his mother, still wearing her white lab coat over a simple purple suit. Another was a tall, white-haired man dressed in a pristine, white three-piece suit. The final person was a beautiful girl with white hair tied into a ponytail on the right side of her head. She had icy-blue eyes and wore a white summer dress as well as a pair of elegant black sandals.

"Kyousuke!" his mother exclaimed cheerfully. "Look at you, all fancied up! I told Rachel it wasn't necessary, but you know how she gets."

"Mr. Kyousuke Kousaka," the man said, standing up from his spot at the head of the table. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last. Or perhaps I should say, it's nice to see you again. I haven't laid eyes on you since you were a babe."

"Um, the pleasure is mine…?" Kyousuke muttered, shaking the man's hand.

"Kyousuke, this is Svernare Schnee," Yoshino said. "President and owner of the Schnee Company."

Eyes widening, the black-haired teen cleared his throat nervously. "N-Nice to meet you, Mr. President."

The man took a step back and looked him over once before nodding in apparent satisfaction. "You've become a fine young man." He gestured toward the girl, who'd held herself back from their introductions. "You've probably surmised, but this is my daughter, Weiss."

"A pleasure to finally meet you again." The white-haired girl gave him an elegant curtsy befitting a princess-figure such as herself.

"Nice to meet you, too," Kyousuke nodded, feeling incredibly out-of-place... Wait a second… "Again? Have we met before?"

Svernare blinked at him for a moment before turning towards Yoshino, a single eyebrow raised. "You… never told him?"

"Ehehe..." The brown-haired woman rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I wasn't expecting you to follow through with it. I realize that Yuki and I were close, but I didn't think she was being _serious _when we agreed to it…"

The man frowned at her. "You, more than most, should know that the Schnee family does not make such promises lightly," he chided, his eyes narrowing.

"So, you don't know about… anything?" Weiss asked, arching a single, delicate eyebrow at him.

"No…" the black-haired teen said nervously. "Should I?"

"One would hope," she replied, crossing her arms. "Considering that we've been engaged since the day we were born."

Ah, so that was all!

…

…

…

"Wait, _**WHAT?**_"

* * *

**A/N: Poor Kyousuke. He's never gonna have a normal life, is he? **

**Anyway, some info for this chapter:**

**Svernare - My version of Weiss' father. His name roughly means "winter" in Italian. **

**Rachel - A minor character. Yoshino's secretary. I chose her name at random. Don't think too hard on it.**

**Piers - Svernare's chauffeur. Same as Rachel. Don't think too hard on it.**

**Now, for those of you not too familiar with how I like to handle things… I like to create reference pages for my fics in style of your typical "wiki". I've created one for this fic as well.**

**There's not too many interesting things on it yet, since we're not very far in. Things of interest currently on the site:**

_Pictures of Kyousuke's gunblade for those who don't know what it looks like._

_A video on how Kyousuke's gunblade transforms._

**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it and as always, thanks for reading!**

**\- Your King**


	3. A Shocking Revelation

"Wait, _**WHAT?**_" Kyousuke cried, his eyes darting wildly between the three individuals before him.

"Kyousuke, sweetheart," Yoshino said placatingly. "Just calm down."

"Mom, how can you expect me to 'just calm down'?" the black-haired teen demanded. "I've just been told that I'm engaged to someone I've never even _met _before!"

"Not true," Svernare said calmly. "The two of you were nursery mates for the first few years of your lives. I suppose in a way, you could be called '_childhood friends_'?"

Kyousuke just stared at him blankly. "That's not helping."

"It's not as though it's official yet," Yoshino offered.

"Also not true." The white-haired man shook his head. "The engagement has been formally recognized in Atlas for the past seventeen years."

"You can't be serious!" Kyousuke exclaimed incredulously, all traces of his earlier nervousness gone. He turned towards his supposed fiancée. "And you're okay with this?"

"I've had seventeen years to get used to the idea," Weiss said dryly. "As opposed to your seventeen seconds."

"This is ridiculous," he muttered, shaking his head. Kyousuke pulled back one of the conference chairs and collapsed in it. "I thought this kind of thing only happened in harem anime and bad fanfiction_…_"

He could feel a vague sense of irony here somewhere, but he ignored it.

"This indeed complicates matters." Svernare sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I was under the impression that you had been aware of the engagement your whole life, as Weiss was. It was my hope that our families would be joined soon after your graduation."

"But… why?" Kyousuke asked. "Why _me?_"

"Mr. Kousaka—"

"Just '_Kyousuke_', please."

"Kyousuke, then," the man began, watching him intently. "You realize the position your mother holds in our company, correct?" At the boy's nod, he continued. "Then, you realize that she exudes great power and influence in our world. Perhaps even enough to match my own. It is in our best interest to centralize that power."

"And by marrying me to your daughter, you would bind me — and more importantly — my mother to the company."

"Kyousuke!" his mother exclaimed. Svernare, however, just smirked at him.

"You catch on quickly." He chuckled. "That is the _political _reason, yes. But there are personal reasons that are just as important. Your mother and I have known each other for a very long time, Kyousuke. Truth be told, it was Yoshino who introduced me to my late wife."

Kyousuke picked up on his use of the past tense. "_Late_ wife…?"

"Yes." The man nodded, growing somber. "Just a few short years after you and Weiss were born, in fact."

"I'm sorry," the black-haired teen murmured.

"Don't be," Weiss said, her voice cold. "It's hardly _your _fault. If anyone is to blame, it's those scum in the White Fang."

Kyousuke turned to her in alarm. "The White Fang?"

"Weiss," her father broke in. "There is a time and place for everything, but not now." When she nodded, he turned back towards Kyousuke. "It was one of my wife's last wishes that the two of you be wed, and for our families to become one. I would very much like to honor her memory."

"I... understand that," Kyousuke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is what you want... what your _wife_ wanted. But… what about what _we _want?" He turned to stare at Weiss. "Are you really okay with this? Getting married to some guy you barely even know?"

"Like I said earlier," she shrugged. "It's in the company's best interest. I've come to accept that."

Kyousuke simply stared at her, his brow furrowed. He couldn't understand that line of thinking. This was her entire _life_ on the line, and she was just going to give up and do whatever her father asked of her_?_

"You may have _accepted _it," he said, a little harder than he intended if the way she jumped in shock was any indication. "But do you _like _it? Can you look me in the eye and say that you _want _to marry me?"

Weiss turned to her father, eyes wide. "I-"

"Don't look at him," Kyousuke said. "It's not _his _life he's giving away. It's _yours_."

"If - If it's for the company-"

"I don't care what's best for the company!" he growled, his frustration finally getting the best of him.

"Sweetheart, please, calm down," Yoshino pleaded.

"Kyousuke-" Svernare began. The black-haired teen threw him a heated glare.

"She's your daughter," he snapped. "Don't you think your wife would care more about her happiness than some promise she made almost two _decades _ago?"

The white-haired man stared at him for several moments before turning towards the girl in question. "Weiss?" he asked softly.

"Well?" Kyousuke demanded.

"...not…"

"I can't hear you."

"_OF COURSE NOT!_" the white-haired girl roared as she leapt to her feet, glaring at the boy fiercely. "I'm only seventeen! I've never even held hands with a boy, let alone had a _boyfriend_! Do you honestly think I _want _to get married? I don't even _know _you!"

They were silent for several minutes. The only sound that could be heard was Weiss' heavy breathing as she attempted to regain her composure. Kyousuke nodded, a satisfied look on his face. "I think you have your answer," he said quietly.

"I… see…" Svernare murmured, staring at his daughter, who refused to meet his gaze. "Well, I must say I'm... slightly disappointed." He shook his head and sighed, causing him to miss seeing Weiss flinch at his words.

"I'm sorry," Kyousuke said sincerely. "But I think this is for the best."

"However," the white-haired man spoke up. "This raises another issue."

"What now?" the black-haired teen asked, a slight twinge of dread seeping into his voice.

"The engagement is… quite public information," the man elaborated. "If it were to suddenly be broken off for seemingly no reason, it would reflect rather poorly on _all _of us. It wouldn't be a stretch to say it would be quite the scandal."

"And what would you have us do?" Kyousuke asked. "I think we've made it quite clear that we don't intend to get married."

"Well, as far as the world is concerned, the two of you are courting," Svernare said. "I'm told that you will be attending Beacon, yes? Weiss will be attending as well."

"I don't like where this is going…"

"So, I ask that during your time there, you _pretend _to be courting her." The man calmly folded his hands before him. "After that, we can announce that the two of you simply found yourselves incompatible and things should fall into place from there."

"You can't be serious!" The boy protested. Svernare ignored him and instead turned towards his daughter.

"Weiss, would you be willing to agree to this?"

The white-haired heiress nodded. "Of course, Father."

"You're _kidding_," Kyousuke said, his voice completely deadpan. "What happened to the whole '_I don't even know you_' spiel?"

Weiss just sent him a nasty glare. "My father has already agreed to break off the engagement," she snapped, causing him to flinch back, a startled look on his face. "I think the least we can do is help him save face."

Kyousuke stared at her in shock for several moments before swallowing and turned to face the expectant gazes of their parents. "We just need to be seen together a few times, right?"

"At a bare minimum, yes," Svernare nodded. "However, it would be best if you were seen doing typical couple-like things every once in a while."

"For the next… _four years?_" Kyousuke questioned, sneaking a glance at the still-glaring Weiss. The man nodded.

"Yes."

Kyousuke stared at him for several moments before turning to Weiss, who was _still _glaring at him. "And you're fine with this?" At her nod, he sighed. "I... I suppose it's better than the alternative," he said after a while. "I can tell my friends, right?"

"I would prefer you didn't." The man raised a hand at the look of protest on Kyousuke's face. "But, if you trust that they won't go blabbing to anyone, then I won't stop you."

"...Alright then," Kyousuke muttered. Inwardly, however, he was lamenting yet another large crack in his 'normalcy armor'.

"Excellent." Svernare smiled before glancing at a digital clock on the far wall. "I see that it's nearly noon. I believe this would be a good opportunity for the two of you to get acquainted in a more... relaxed atmosphere. You'll be together for the foreseeable future, after all. There's no sense in remaining strangers."

"There's a nice little bistro just down the street," Yoshino supplied. At that very moment, Kyousuke's stomach decided to remind him that it was empty by letting out a loud rumble. His mother giggled as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Why don't you two head over there? It's on us."

"We'll do just that. Thank you." Weiss gave an elegant curtsy before roughly grabbing Kyousuke by the arm. "Let's go," she said, and proceeded to drag him towards the heavy double doors.

"Oh, and Kyousuke," Svernare called. The black-haired teen turned to see a small smirk on the white-haired man's face. "I'm curious to know what possessed you to scream at your mother's employer."

"Ah..." The boy smiled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "You said it yourself, Mr. President. My mother is too valuable an asset to risk losing."

"That she is." The man's smirk widened. "You're quite sharp, young man. If it makes any difference to you, I think you would make a fine executive for the company — with a little training, of course."

"I'm just a normal guy, sir." Kyousuke shrugged. "I'm not cut out for that kind of thing."

"If you say so." The president waved them off. "Don't let me keep you, now. Have fun, you two."

Once the heavy, mahogany doors closed behind the two teens, Yoshino turned towards him with a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that," the woman said, rubbing the back of her head in a manner very reminiscent of her son.

"Now, now, there's no need for that." Svernare chuckled, a small glint in his eyes. "Your son is sharper than he gives himself credit for. I can see why Ozpin is so interested in him."

"Hmm..." Yoshino hummed. "Though, I'd be lying if I said that I'm not disappointed, perhaps this is for the best. I never wanted to force my desires on them, after all. It was just hopeful wishing on mine and Yuki's part."

"Oh, believe me," he said, a sly grin taking shape on his face. "This is _far _from over."

The brunette raised an eyebrow at him. "And just what is _that _supposed to mean?"

"Well, after spending so much time together with my dearest daughter, would it really be so odd for him to feel more open to the thought of marriage?"

"So, _that _was what you were really after." Yoshino snorted, a look of amusement crossing her face.

"But of course." The white-haired man smirked. "They wouldn't have to _pretend _if they were to fall in love for real. And we wouldn't have to break off the engagement, either."

"Conniving, as always." She chuckled for a moment before growing somber once again. "But in the end, the choice will be _theirs _to make. If they choose not to marry; the games must end, Svernare."

"Of course,. He nodded. "It was never my intention to force them either. Now, enough of all this. Why don't I send for lunch? It's been quite a while since we've had the opportunity to just sit and talk over a nice drink."

"You know I'm never one to turn down good Mistralan wine." Yoshino winked.

"That you aren't." Svernare chuckled and retrieved his scroll.

* * *

Yang frowned as she flipped through another of Kyousuke's naughty magazines. It seemed that his tastes had changed over the years.

Three years ago, his mags would have been full of supermodels wearing eyeglasses. She'd used to tease him about it relentlessly. Especially in regards to a certain someone. But… after what'd happened, perhaps it should not have been so surprising that his preferences had changed. However, the fact that it _was _so surprising… disturbed her slightly.

Three years ago, Yang knew Kyousuke like the back of her hand, and vice versa. However, in the time between then and now, the two had grown quite a bit. The blonde had truly blossomed upon entering Signal. She had no shortage in the looks department. That, coupled with her combat abilities and well-above average grades placed her rather high on the school hierarchy.

This newfound popularity had gained her dozens of new friends. But she always had a special place in her heart for Kyousuke, who — unlike her — had remained largely stagnant. He'd dropped out of the combat program a few months into their first year and his grades had fallen considerably. He wasn't _failing _by any means. But he wasn't excelling in anything either. He was just… average.

This left him solidly in the middle of the hierarchy. Kyousuke wasn't _unpopular _per say. To his classmates, he was just another face in the crowd. And he seemed content with this. But to her… seeing him like that hurt. He just drifted through life without any passion or zest. It was so different from the boy who dreamed of greatness; someone whom she cared for with all her heart.

Yang had tried to coax him out of it by spending as much time with him as she could. But try as she might, he never seemed to be affected by it. And as the day of their graduation grew closer and closer, she began to lose hope.

Then, just yesterday, all hope had been shattered by Kyousuke himself.

"_He died that night three years ago, Yang."_

Hearing him say that had hurt so _badly_. And to her shame, it was in this moment that she'd given up on him. She would be attending Beacon in just a month's time, after all. Kyousuke would become practically nonexistent in her life.

Yang decided then and there that their final night together would be the greatest of their lives. She '_procured_' a bottle of vodka and set out for the party.

But of course, the plan completely backfired when Kyo — the idiot — didn't drink the damn punch. And although he'd probably thought she was pissed drunk, (okay, admittedly, she _was…_) she was still fully aware of what she was doing when she tried to kiss him. And of course her father had to walk in on them at that very moment. Watching Kyo walk away last night had been one of the hardest things she'd ever done. She'd nearly cried herself to sleep.

Then, just the next morning, she'd heard the news. The wonderful, _glorious _news. Kyo — _her _Kyo — had taken on a group of thugs and saved the day. He'd used Blazefire Saber for the first time in three years and his performance had still been good enough for Ozpin to invite him to Beacon. Words couldn't describe how happy she'd felt in that moment. The sheer joy… no, _elation _had sent her into a fit of uncontrollable, giddy laughter. He was still there. _Her Kyo_ was still there.

Yang clutched the magazine in her hand, causing the pages to begin crinkling under the pressure. And as she stared at the model on the cover, she swore she would _never _give up on him again.

Hmm… It seems he fancies long, black hair now…

"Hey, Ruby?" she called out, fingering her golden locks.

"Yeah?" The red-haired girl glanced at her from where she was busy looking for (and failing to find) information about HF rounds on Kyousuke's computer.

"Do you think I'd look good with black hair?"

* * *

"A table for two, please," Kyousuke said to the hostess as he and Weiss stepped into the quaint little restaurant his mother had directed them to. The girl behind the counter just gaped at him for several moments, her eyes darting between the two teens with a look of awe on her face. Behind him, Weiss twitched in irritation as the girl continued staring at them without replying.

"Well?" she demanded.

"O-Oh!" The girl squeaked. "O-Of course! Right this way!"

As she led them to a vacant table, Kyousuke began to hear several whispers from the room's occupants.

"_Wow! Look at that couple!"_

"_They're so beautiful! I think I'm jealous!"_

Well, that explained the hostess' strange reaction to them. However, with every compliment he heard, there was at least one insult.

"_Damn, that girl is hot!"_

"_The guy she's with though… What does she see in him?"_

"_He must be paying her. It's the only way!"_

"_What a tool…"_

Kyousuke just rolled his eyes. Their pettiness meant absolutely nothing to him. Hell, he'd heard worse from his _classmates_. He was best friends with Yang Xiao Long, after all.

"Hello, there!" Another girl walked up to them, a pen and notepad in hand. "I'm Lily. I'll be your waitress today. Can I start by getting the two of you something to drink?"

"An _Ol' King Cold_, please," Kyousuke requested, glancing over the menu.

"An Earl Grey, if you would," Weiss said, staring out the window. "Two tablespoons of milk. No sugar."

"Got it." Their server nodded. "Whenever you're ready to order, just let me know."

"I'm actually ready right now," Kyousuke said, glancing at the girl across from him. "You?" She just nodded. "Well, I'll have the chicken parmesan."

"One chicken parmesan," Lily murmured, jotting it down. "And what about you?"

Weiss simply shrugged, still staring off at nothing in particular. "I'll just have what he's having."

"How cute." The waitress beamed. Neither of them said anything. "Your order should be ready in ten to fifteen minutes." Lily turned and strode towards the kitchen, leaving the two teens sitting in uncomfortable silence.

"So," Kyousuke said with an awkward laugh. "Crazy day, huh?" The white-haired girl didn't respond. She merely turned to him and arched a single, delicate eyebrow. "Hey. We just avoided being forced into a loveless marriage. Shouldn't you be happy?"

"My father is upset with me, my mother's memory was trampled on and my family's reputation is in danger of scandal because of you," Weiss said coldly. "And you want me to act _happy?_"

"Because of _me?_" Kyousuke repeated hotly. "If I remember correctly, you were just as against it as I was! Excuse me for trying to be considerate of your feelings!"

"And I… appreciate that," she admitted, somewhat reluctantly. "But you have to realize that sometimes, personal feelings must be put aside."

Kyousuke's eye twitched. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the return of their waitress. "Hey, you two lovebirds." Lily smiled, completely misreading the atmosphere. "Here are your drinks!" She placed their beverages before them and winked before taking her leave once again. Neither of them made a move to drink.

"Alright, look." Kyousuke sighed. "I apologize. I'm sorry that I upset your father and I'm sorry if I seemed insensitive about your mother's wishes. But we're stuck together for the next four years. I'd really like for us to at least try and be friends."

"Ha! Friends?" Weiss chuckled. "You realize what my father is trying to do, right?"

Kyousuke frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He's still trying to set us up," the white-haired heiress said. "He's been planning this for years. Did you honestly think he'd give up just because you threw a temper tantrum?"

"The thought had crossed my mind," he admitted. "But my childish side had hoped otherwise." Kyousuke looked her over curiously. "And you agree with him? You still think we should get married?"

"Yes," she said without hesitation. "Personal feelings aside; it is our best, most efficient option."

"But shouldn't your feelings take priority?" the black-haired boy prodded. "Why are you so willing to go along with what your father wants?"

"Well..." Weiss sighed, glancing out the window once again. "It's just… After my mother… _passed away_, my father grew... distant from us. He's always kept me at arm's-length. The only times he would look truly happy was when he would talk about mother. He always looked happy whenever he talked about our engagement, as well. It was her last wish, after all. He wanted it to be fulfilled."

"..."

"So," The girl took a sip of her tea. "I thought that if I could fulfill that wish for him, he could truly be happy once more."

"Well, if he really loves you," Kyousuke said quietly. "Like every father does, then your happiness is all he needs."

"Hmm..." Weiss hummed. "You know, you're not at all like I imagined you'd be."

"Oh?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I thought you would be another self-entitled brat that just happened to be in my father's good graces."

"Well, I'm glad I proved that mental image wrong." Kyousuke chuckled.

"Indeed." Weiss smirked. "You're far dorkier than I imagined."

"Oi!" he exclaimed, but she just laughed his indignation off.

"Well, Kyousuke Kousaka," the heiress began. "Earlier, you stated that you'd like the two of us to be friends, did you not?"

"That I did." Kyousuke nodded. "Have you considered my proposal?"

"I have." Weiss held her hand out, palm facing downward. "And I've deemed it acceptable." Kyousuke rolled his eyes at her but played along regardless. He gently took her hand and brought it to his lips, laying a chaste kiss upon her knuckles.

As expected, the room burst into whispers once again; its female occupants with squeals of approval and its male occupants with ire.

"_Kyaa~"_

"_They're so cute!"_

"_Lucky bastard…!"_

"_Damn him!"_

Once again, Kyousuke rolled his eyes. If this was how people would act whenever the two were together, then he was in for a long four years.

"Well, well..." A voice giggled from behind him. Kyousuke turned to see their waitress balancing two steaming plates of chicken parmesan in her arms. "I'm gone for ten minutes and you two are already going at it?" He flushed slightly, but didn't dignify her with a response. Lily chuckled and placed their orders in front of them. "Enjoy, you two." The waitress winked before striding away once again.

"Well," Kyousuke picked up his glass of _Ol' King Cold _and raised it as though in toast. "To the start of a very strange friendship."

"Yes…" Weiss murmured, gently tapping her tea cup against his glass. "Friendship…"

What Kyousuke didn't realize was that, while the white-haired girl had agreed to his friendship, she certainly had _not _given up on their engagement. Regardless of anything that was said or done, her parents' dream was still on the line. With Kyousuke's current line of thinking, all she had to do was make him fall in love with her. And _that _certainly wouldn't be too difficult. The Schnee family was well known for their charming ways, after all.

* * *

"GOD DAMMIT!" Weiss roared as her character once again suffered a very brutal death. The screen in front of her darkened and displayed the word 'FATALITY' in bright red letters.

"Wow," Kyousuke remarked, struggling not to laugh, lest he draw her wrath. "You're… really bad at this." The princess threw him a heated glare and he quickly raised his arms in surrender, gently placing his controller back into its slot."Why don't we try something else?" The black-haired teen suggested, gesturing towards the many rows of video games.

After their "lunch date" — as Yoshino insisted on calling it — they'd returned to headquarters only to be shooed away by the adults. Svernare told them that they had the rest of the day to themselves and suggested that Kyousuke show Weiss around town, since she'd never had the opportunity to do so on her father's business ventures to the city.

The two were currently at the arcade in downtown Vale — the single biggest gaming center in the city and Kyousuke was just now learning that Weiss had next to no experience with video games. "That was completely ridiculous!" The heiress huffed, tossing the controller haphazardly back into its slot. "It wasn't even close to a true combat experience! I have half a mind to sue for false advertising!"

"It's just a game, Weiss." Kyousuke chuckled. "A cheap, arcade fighter at that." He strode over to a nearby car-racing game and inserted his scroll. The machine let out a series of beeps as it accepted his credit. "Just sit down here. This is a pretty advanced racing game. The controls are exactly as you would find in a real car, so it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out." The white-haired girl, however, blinked at all the buttons and levers surrounding her. She then looked up at him, a blank look on her face.

Kyousuke raised an eyebrow. "You've… never driven before?"

"I've never had to!" Weiss snapped, her face flushing in embarrassment. "Usually, Piers just drives me wherever I need to go."

The boy facepalmed and sighed. "Alright…" He pointed at a pedal on the right-hand corner, near her feet. "That's the gas pedal. The one next to it is the brake…"

After nearly ten minutes of explaining the controls to her, the girl was finally ready to go.

"_On your mark!" _The game's announcer called. _"Get set… GO!" _Weiss slammed on the gas, sending her vehicle hurtling forward only to immediately crash into the sidelines at the first turn. "_WIPEOUT!" _The heiress turned and sent Kyousuke a venomous glare, since he was currently facing away from her in a poor attempt to conceal his laughter.

"Not. A. Word." She growled.

"S-Sorry!" He chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye. Kyousuke retrieved his scroll and inserted it once more into the machine. "Let's try again. Forget about speed this time. Just focus on keeping your car under control."

Weiss sent him one last glare before returning her attention to the screen. Upon receiving the signal to start, she gently pressed down on the gas and began to steadily move forward. "Ha!" The girl grinned triumphantly. "This isn't so hard."

"That's because you're only going ten miles an hour," Kyousuke quipped. He chuckled when she deliberately ignored his remark. The two sat in companionable silence for several moments before the black-haired boy decided to change the subject. "So, you'll be attending Beacon, right?"

"Correct," Weiss said as she made a rather sharp turn, frowning when she ended up crashing into another car.

"Can I ask why?" Kyousuke prodded.

"What do you mean, _why?_" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"It's just, well…"

"I don't look the part?" Weiss questioned. Kyousuke shook his head.

"No. I learned a long time ago not to judge a book by its cover," he said. "My best friend is testament enough to that. What I mean is... You're the heiress to a multi-billion lien company. You're pretty much set for life. Why choose to become a Huntress?"

"...I do it out of obligation," the heiress replied. A slightly haughty smile crossed her face. "I'm a Schnee. For generations, we've always prided ourselves in being the very best. When I found out I could fight, how could I _not _become a Huntress?"

Kyousuke stared at her for several moments. "It's not a game, you know."

"Excuse me?" Weiss questioned, raising an eyebrow at him once more. He looked away, his eyes losing focus slightly.

"You… Yang… Ruby… even Kirino… you all say that you want to become Huntresses," he said softly. "But you always talk about it like it's some kind of game..." Weiss had no idea who any of these people were, but made no move to interrupt him. Kyousuke made a gesture to all the machines surrounding them. "In games… you can always just try again later," the boy continued. "But reality doesn't have that kind of luxury. Hunters _especially _don't have that kind of luxury. Because if you make _one _mistake… If you screw up _once… _someone might die."

Neither of them spoke for a while. Weiss seemed to be mulling over his words, while Kyousuke simply stared off into the distance absentmindedly. "You're right," she said after several minutes of silence. "It's not a game and you'd wrong to think of it as one… but…" Weiss turned and looked him in the eye. "If we do nothing, then people _will _die."

"That's true." Kyousuke chuckled, smiling at her. "So, you really think you're ready to be a Huntress?"

"I _know_ I am." Weiss nodded and stood from her seat. "Better yet… Why don't I show you?"

"Oh?" He looked up at her. "Done playing games?"

"Yes." She nodded once more. "Come with me." The two teens stood and made their way towards the exit. However, on the way out, Weiss paused to look at something. Kyousuke stopped as well and followed her gaze to see a claw machine filled with Pikachu dolls.

"Ah..." The black-haired teen hummed, an amused grin on his face. "You want one?"

"O-Of course not!" Weiss huffed, grabbing his arm to pull him out of the arcade. "Why would I want something as cheap as that? Let's go." Her mouth said one thing, but her eyes said another. Kyousuke chuckled slightly and slipped out of her grip. He strode over to the machine. "Don't!" she exclaimed. "Even _I_ know that those games are always rigged!"

Kyousuke simply smiled and inserted his scroll into the machine. Once it accepted his credit, he grabbed the control stick and maneuvered it over a particularly large doll before pressing the 'descend' button. Out of Weiss' line of vision, he snapped his fingers. A small, almost imperceptible spark of electricity ran through the claw as it clasped onto the Pokemon doll, which gave off a similar spark. The claw rose back up, his prize firmly within its grasp and dropped it into the prize bin.

The black-haired teen grabbed the plush toy and handed it to the stunned girl. "Games are fun," he said with a small wink. "In moderation."

Weiss flushed slightly, though her lip quirked upwards as she looked over the small gift. "I… Thank you."

"Now, I believe you had something to show me?"

"Ah, y-yes." She nodded quickly, clutching the doll to her chest as she grabbed his arm once again. "Follow me."

* * *

"We're back at headquarters?" Kyousuke questioned as Weiss led him through the halls of the company building.

"Yes." The white-hair girl nodded, her new plush companion still tucked comfortably against her chest. "The Schnee Company has developed some of the most advanced training programs in the world. One of them is here at headquarters."

The two eventually came across a large, metallic sliding-door. On the left side of the door was an electronic scanner. Weiss placed her scroll upon the scanner and with a loud buzzing noise, the doors opened. Kyousuke found himself looking into what appeared to be a control room, with various computers and other such machines lining the walls. On the farthest wall was a window that peered into what appeared to be a large, darkened room.

A handful of scientists wearing white lab coats were milling about the room. Most of them seemed to be fidgeting nervously. "M-Miss Schnee...!" One woman squeaked. "You called only a few minutes ago. W-We weren't expecting you so soon!"

"Well, here I am regardless," Weiss said, crossing her arms. "Is everything ready?"

"Miss Schnee," the woman began. "Are you certain? The _Giant Armor _only just made it through preliminary testing. It's not scheduled to be released for _months…_"

"Wait, what?" Kyousuke asked, a concerned look on his face.

"It'll be fine." The heiress waved off their worry.

"Weiss, this doesn't exactly seem safe."

"You said it yourself. Hunters don't exactly have a cushy job, Kyousuke," the girl replied, rolling her eyes. "I'll be fine. I've been training for years."

"...Then you won't mind if I accompany you," he said, a neutral expression on his face.

Weiss shrugged. "Suit yourself." She turned to the woman once more. "You brought my equipment, like I asked, right?"

"Yes, Miss Schnee." The woman nodded. "They're in the dressing room."

"You guys wouldn't happen to have any spare clothes, would you?" Kyousuke asked, fingering the suit Rachel had forced him into earlier today. "These look expensive. I don't want to ruin them."

"You… You're Kyousuke Kousaka, right?" the woman questioned. "Professor Yoshino's son?"

"Um… yes?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, your mother had a combat-ready outfit commissioned for you just this morning," she said, smiling slightly. "She already had the clothing in question, so all we needed to do was reinforce the lining. I can send someone for it immediately."

"That… is suspiciously convenient," Kyousuke muttered, thoughts of conspiracy running through his mind before shaking his head. "Can you have Rachel retrieve them? She confiscated my gunblade this morning and I'd like it back."

"Have them bring it to the dressing rooms," Weiss ordered before turning and striding towards a hallway on the other side of the control room. Kyousuke followed her. After several minutes of walking, they arrived in a large room with several curtains hanging from the walls. "I'm going to change first," the heiress said as she strode into one of the dressing areas. "Your mother's secretary should arrive any minute now."

True to her word, the brown-haired woman arrived just a few moments later with a large duffel bag slung over her shoulder. "Kyousuke," the woman greeted. The teen nodded at her in greeting.

"You brought Blazefire Saber, right?" he questioned.

"I did," Rachel nodded, handing the duffel bag over. "It, along with your new outfit, is in the bag."

"Thanks," Kyousuke said as he turned and strode over to one of the dressing rooms.

"And Kyousuke!" the brunette called after him. "Your mother wanted me to tell you something before you get changed."

"My mom?" the boy asked in surprise.

"She says '_Don't be angry with me_'." Rachel repeated her employer's message. "Does that mean anything to you?"

"I guess we'll see." Kyousuke sighed. "Thanks again."

"You're welcome."

* * *

Weiss smoothed over the creases in her dress before stepping out of the room. She now wore her signature icy-blue bolero jacket over a white one-piece dress. She'd also exchanged her sandals for a pair of platform, high-heel boots. And hanging from her hip was her signature weapon; the Multi Action Dust Rapier, Myrtenaster.

She glanced around the room to see it empty, though she heard shuffling sounds coming from a nearby stall. It seemed that Kyousuke was still busy changing. Shrugging to herself, the white-haired girl made her way back to the control room, where the scientists and — to her surprise — her father and Yoshino were waiting.

"Father," Weiss greeted, giving a polite curtsy. "Professor Kousaka."

"There's no need to be so formal, Sweetheart!" Yoshino laughed. "Just call me Yoshino or Mrs. Kousaka, if you must." Her eyes glanced downward and raised an eyebrow at what she saw. "And what's this?"

Weiss blinked at her in confusion before realizing that Yoshino was staring at her hand. She glanced down and saw the Pikachu doll dangling in her grip. Her face flushing, The heiress quickly hid it behind her back. She hadn't even realized she was still holding it! "I— er, this isn't…"

"Did Kyousuke give that to you?" Her father smirked. "Good! I take it your relationship is moving along well?"

"I-I suppose," she muttered. Svernare nodded in satisfaction, but frowned, however, upon realizing that said boy was nowhere in sight.

"And… where is he?"

Weiss frowned as well and glanced back towards the dressing rooms. "Now that you mention it, he _has _been in there for quite a while. What's taking him so long?"

"I imagine he's still trying to come to grips with the situation," Yoshino said, somewhat demurely.

"What do you mean?"

The brunette turned in the direction of the dressing room. "Well…"

* * *

Kyousuke frowned as he stared himself over in the mirror. It was like he was looking through a window into the past. He currently wore a black, leather jacket over a white, deep v-neck t-shirt that parted down the middle of his chest. The jacket had white fur draping across the collar and fit snugly around his torso.

Covering his legs was a pair of dark black pants that also had strips of white fur on both sides of his hips. Wrapped around his hips was a dark brown belt with a silver, lion-shaped buckle that Yang had gotten him for a birthday long past. She'd said that it '_looked cute_'. Several extra belts were used to secure a pouch containing gunblade magazines to his right leg, which he partially covered with a black sash.

On each hand was a pair of ultra-thin, black leather gloves. His feet were likewise covered by a pair of black boots. And as always, Blazefire Saber was slung across his lower back in its holster.

The entire ensemble was something Kyousuke would have worn three years ago. Hell, he was pretty sure that the jacket was the very same one he once favored. He'd asked his mother to dispose of them some time ago, but it seemed that she'd held on to a few and had them fitted to match his older form. The outfit suited his former, cocky self quite well, but nowadays was far too flashy for his tastes. He fingered the jacket once before glaring down at the expensive three-piece suit he'd been wearing earlier.

But, regardless, this outfit was made to be combat-ready. It would have to do for now.

Kyousuke heaved a world-weary sigh and strode out of the dressing room. A glance around told him that Weiss had already left, so he quickly made his way back to the control room. He found the white-haired girl waiting for him along with both of their parents. As he strode in, the room turned to stare at him. Svernare glanced at his daughter and smirked.

The girl had a flushed look on her face as she stared at him. He looked good in black, she noted. Her eyes also caught sight of two white crystal studs in his ears. Weiss had never noticed that he had pierced ears. Her gaze fell to his partially-exposed chest and (after she fought an embarrassed flush down) noticed a silver pendant around his neck.

Kyousuke himself was either oblivious to the attention or simply ignoring it. He instead glared at his mother, who began whistling innocently. "So, don't get angry, huh?" he asked her.

"If it makes you feel better," Yoshino offered. "I think you look quite dashing in it. It would have been a shame to just throw it away. Right, Weiss?"

Wordlessly, the girl nodded, prompting Kyousuke to roll his eyes and sighed. "Whatever you say, Mom." He crossed his arms. "So, how is this all going to work?"

"Well," the female scientist from earlier spoke up. "The _Giant Armor_ is waiting in the training hall. Once you're ready to begin, we'll activate it remotely."

"Alright then." The boy glanced at his white-haired companion. "You ready?"

Weiss nodded. "Let's go." She walked passed him and down the hallway once more with Kyousuke not far behind.

Once they were out of sight, Svernare sighed and stood up from where he was leaning against the control panel, revealing the Pikachu doll. His daughter had made him watch over the plush toy in her absence. Honestly, less than half an hour and she was already so protective over it.

"Your son has quite a way with girls," he remarked dryly.

"Believe me, I know." Yoshino chuckled. "But he, of course, is completely oblivious of his affect on them." Svernare simply sighed, shaking his head as he turned towards the bulletproof window where their children were just coming into view.

* * *

"Seriously, though," Kyousuke remarked. "A dress?"

"It's a combat skirt!" Weiss snapped. "And I'll have you know-"

"Weiss, calm down." He chuckled. "I was kidding. I know. Skirts — while some might think them out of place on a battlefield — provide a remarkable range of motion in combat. The downside is that they might end up getting snagged when fighting in or traveling through rugged terrain."

The heiress blinked. "Uh… yes," she coughed. "That's it precisely. You seem to be quite knowledgeable."

"One of my friend's outfit of choice is a red and black dress," Kyousuke explained. "And she's explained this to me many, _many _times, so I like to think that I know what I'm talking about."

Weiss opened her mouth to inquire further, but was interrupted by the female scientist's voice speaking up over the intercom. "Commencing battle simulation in T-minus thirty seconds!" The white-haired girl quickly schooled her features and raised Myrtenaster, holding it perpendicular to her body in a fencing position. In her peripheral vision, she could see Kyousuke unsheathing his gunblade.

The room lit up with overhanging lights, revealing their opponent. An absolutely massive suit of medieval armor knelt before them. Bright red lights began to glow from beneath the robot's helmet, signaling its activation. "Five seconds!" the woman's voice called. The Giant Armor slowly stood to its full height. At over two stories tall, it easily towered above them. Kyousuke let out a deep breath, his grip over Blazefire Saber tightening.

"Begin!" Immediately, the armored knight drew a massive broadsword from behind its back and swung at them in downward arc. Weiss flipped backwards while Kyousuke dove to the side, falling into a roll as he did so. He shifted Blazefire Saber into Assault Mode and began raining bullets upon the knight. But his assault proved ineffective, as the standard ammunition simply bounced off its armor.

The white-garbed girl flicked her wrist, causing a white glyph to appear at her feet. The glyph sent her hurtling forward, her rapier extended. Sensing her rapid approach, robotic knight nimbly deflected her thrust with its own blade. Weiss didn't allow it time to follow through however, and ducked through its legs to its other side, stabbing at its leg joints as she went.

The knight immediately swiveled around, swinging its blade in a wide arc as it did so. Weiss leapt up, dodging the strike and moved in once again. Kyousuke quickly ejected the useless magazine and inserted one filled with fire-based Dust rounds. Weiss stabbed at their cybernetic foe, but its armor proved too thick to pierce. Reacting fast, she fell back to avoid a well-timed kick.

Her partner immediately took the opportunity she'd created and opened fire once again. Somehow, it seemed that the knight realized he'd switched ammo, and quickly brought up its sword to shield itself the incoming storm of fiery lead. But this left the behemoth wide open to attack.

Weiss, seeing her opening, charged forward once more, unleashing a flurry of thrusts at the robot's joints. For a few brief moments, it seemed that this would be where it ended. All too soon, however, Kyousuke's magazine was emptied. The knight quickly seized the opportunity and thrust its arm out, landing a direct hit on the surprised heiress.

"Shit!" Kyousuke shouted as the white-haired girl was sent flying across the room. Moving quickly, he rushed forward. The knight immediately closed in on the dazed girl as she attempted to regain her footing. Weiss looked upward, her eyes widening as the knight's gigantic sword came down upon her. She felt all the breath leave her body as she felt something impacting her stomach, sending her hurtling backwards.

A loud _boom_ echoed across the room and the knight's blade was embedded deeply into the ground. Weiss blinked up at the ceiling, waiting for a wave of pain to wash over her. It never did. Sitting up, she glanced down to see a mass of black panting next to her.

Kyousuke clutched at his forehead, glancing behind him to see the knight removing its sword from the ground. "Y-You're bleeding," Weiss pointed out, seeing the droplets of red leaking past his gloved hand.

"I got hit by some debris," he remarked dryly, gesturing toward her left eye. "You don't look so hot yourself." The heiress patted the indicated spot and felt something warm and wet. He was right.

"Our auras should have protected us from the brunt of it," she murmured. "But if we're bleeding this much, they'll likely scar."

"We'll worry about that later," Kyousuke said, picking up his gunblade and shifting it into Blade Mode. "But first, we need to take this thing down."

"Kyousuke," Weiss spoke up, prompting him to turn to her. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

The girl gestured towards the robot, who was brandishing its sword in a wild manner. "Look at its movements," she said. "See how it's jerking around erratically? It's malfunctioning."

"So… that means…?"

"All bets are off," Weiss said, her eyes hardening. "This isn't practice any more. If we're not careful, that thing will kill us."

"Can't they just shut it off?" he asked.

"If they could, they would have done so already." She shook her head. "We have to take it down. Now."

"Agreed." Kyousuke murmured. "But that armor may prove to be a problem. We've been giving it hell, but it's not even _scratched_."

"It was designed to be nearly impervious to all forms of attack," Weiss explained. "Standard weapons aren't going to cut it. I thought my Myrtenaster would be up to the task, but as you can see..."

"Then, it's a good thing my Blazefire Saber isn't a standard weapon." The boy smirked slightly. "I'll need to get close to it, though. Think you can cover me?"

"I can." The heiress nodded. Kyousuke nodded back.

"On my count, then," he murmured as Weiss raised her rapier once again. "Three… two… ONE!"

Kyousuke charged forward, Blazefire Saber held firmly within his grasp. From behind him, Kyousuke heard Weiss activate one of her glyphs and a wide assortment of different elemental Dust attacks began flying overhead, slamming into the mad knight. The robot raised its sword, slashing wildly in an attempt to strike them. Kyousuke ducked beneath its blade and shifted his finger. A loud gunshot rang throughout the training hall as he pulled the trigger of his gunblade.

Immediately, the blade began to resonate with high frequency vibrations. Kyousuke slipped beneath the wildly flailing behemoth and swung his blade, aiming for the knight's sword arm. However, the robot quickly raised its left arm, sacrificing it to protect itself. The knight let out a harsh noise, as though enraged and swung its sword in a wide arc. The teen, still attempting to regain his footing, raised his gunblade in a desperate attempt to parry the attack, only to nearly be sent flying across the room. Falling into a roll, he grit his teeth as the knight pounced upon him.

Suddenly, a white blur slammed into the robot's torso, forcing it back. Weiss landed beside him deftly and raised Myrtenaster once more, causing a white glyph to appear at the tip of her blade. Icicles shot out from the glyph like bullets, landing direct hits on the knight's legs and remaining arm. Thick columns of ice formed where the icicles struck, freezing it solid.

"Now!" Weiss shouted. Kyousuke nodded and dashed forward. With a great roar, the knight ripped its arm free and swung its blade at him in a downward arc. The black-haired boy deftly leapt aside, allowing it to embed itself in the ground. Seizing the opening, Kyousuke leapt atop the blade and ran along its length.

He pulled the trigger once more, and jumped, slicing the knight's sword arm from its body before grabbing onto its helmet. Beneath him, the robot thrashed violently, nearly causing him to lose his grip. With a grunt, he hauled himself onto its shoulders and pulled the trigger one final time. Snarling, he sliced its head clean off, exposing the circuitry within.

Twirling his gunblade into a stabbing position, he grunted out a single word.

"_Spark!_"

Immediately, Blazefire Saber came alive, with electricity rolling off its blade in grand waves. His eyes took on an electric-blue glow and with a great roar, he thrust his blade downward, sending several thousand volts of electricity coursing through the robot's body.

The knight gave one last shuddering heave before collapsing; its circuitry completely fried. Kyousuke pulled his gunblade free and leapt off. However, as the boy landed, his vision flooded and a feeling of vertigo overcame him. He likely would have fallen over had Weiss not been there to catch him.

"You okay?" she asked softly. He could vaguely hear the scientists calling for a medic in the background, but he paid them no mind.

"Hah," he exhaled. "It's been a long time since I've done something like that."

"What _was _that?" Weiss questioned.

"That was my semblance," Kyousuke said. "I can generate, control and modify electricity. I figure that those glyphs are your semblance?"

The heiress nodded, her face thoughtful. "Back at the arcade… I thought I was imagining things, but… I saw some electricity when you were using the claw machine."

"Haha..." The black-haired teen chuckled. "There are quite a few things I can do with my semblance. That was me imbuing them with two opposite electric charges. Negative for the claw and positive for the doll."

"So you _cheated!_" Weiss accused, though her tone was playful.

Kyousuke winked at her just as the medics finally arrived. "Don't tell anyone."

* * *

"I want to apologize again," Svernare said solemnly as they stood next to Yoshino's car.

"Hey, I'm the one that insisted I help her." Kyousuke shrugged. He now sported a white bandage over the new scar on his forehead. Thankfully, his bangs would be able to cover it well enough. Weiss was sporting a similar bandage over her left eye, which — unfortunately — could not be hidden quite as well. "Malfunction or otherwise," he continued. "I knew what I was getting myself into."

Behind him, the sun was just beginning to set. It was getting late and the two Kousakas still had some grocery shopping to do before they went home. "Still," the white-haired man said. "Once again; I am sorry. And thank you for standing by my daughter's side."

"No problem, sir." The boy nodded before turning to the girl in question. "By the way, where will you be staying until we go to Beacon? And is there a specific way you'd like for me to contact you?"

The Schnee duo just stared at him in confusion for several moments before realization dawned on their faces.

"That's right," Weiss muttered. "Your mother never told you anything…"

"Ah, well." Svernare chuckled, clapping him on the shoulder. "You'll figure it out soon enough."

Kyousuke blinked, his face settling into a confused frown. He opened his mouth to question them, but was interrupted by his mother.

"Kyousuke, let's get going!" Yoshino called from the driver's seat. The teen shook his head and sighed. He shook hands with Svernare and — to his surprise — was hugged by Weiss before he entered the passenger seat. They waved at the two Schnee before taking off down the road. The mother/son pair was silent for several moments. It wasn't until they pulled into the supermarket parking lot that the brunette spoke up.

"Kyousuke," Yoshino began, prompting him to turn to her. "I just want to let you know how proud I am of you."

"Mom?" the teen questioned. "Where's this coming from?"

"From the way you stood up for what you believed in," the woman continued. "To the way you selflessly protected Weiss. You really proved yourself today."

Kyousuke just shrugged. "Anyone would have done the same were they in the same position."

"No, they wouldn't have." Yoshino shook her head. "Kyousuke, what you did today took courage. A special kind of courage that not everyone has."

He sighed. "Mom…"

"That's all I wanted to say." The woman smiled. "Now, come on. Poor Yang and Ruby have been waiting for us all day. I say that we apologize by preparing a grand feast for them. And to do that, we need food!"

Kyousuke rolled his eyes but followed after her as they made their way towards the market.

* * *

After finishing their grocery shopping, the two Kousakas finally made their way home. However, something was not quite right…

"Hey," Kyousuke spoke up, suspicion seeping into his voice. "Why is there a moving van outside?"

Yoshino, meanwhile, had frozen. "Ah..." she murmured. "That's right." The woman shook her head and threw him a cheery smile. "Well, I'm going to head in. Could you grab the groceries?"

"Wait, you never answered—" He sighed as she ignored him and strode into the house. Grumbling slightly, he opened the backseat door and grabbed the grocery bags. Kyousuke closed the car door and made his way towards the house. He frowned however, as he heard the sound of several people arguing inside. As he approached the front door, it swung open and a large, gruff-looking man strode out with an irate expression on his face.

"Hey, kid." The man grunted. "I take it you're Kyousuke?"

"Y-Yes…?"

The man patted him on the shoulder. "I don't envy you." He shook his head pityingly before brushing past him and hopping into the moving van. Kyousuke watched it drive off before turning back towards the door. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten, he entered the house.

"I'm back…" Kyousuke called out half-heartedly. The voices were steadily growing louder and louder. Kyousuke dropped the bags off and warily opened the door to the living room. What he saw made him immediately want to close it again. The atmosphere of the room felt like a war-zone of some kind. On one side of the room was Yang and Ruby, glaring fiercely at their opponent.

On the other side was…

"Weiss?!" Kyousuke choked out. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

There she stood, glaring at his two friends just as venomously as they did to her. Yoshino was currently in the kitchen, pointedly looking away from him and in the corner, Kyousuke spotted his father calmly reading a newspaper, looking for all the world as though things like this happened every day.

"Kyo!" Yang snapped. "What the hell is going on? Ice Queen here just barges in with her U-Haul lackeys, throws my stuff away and moves her own crap into my room!"

"It's not _your_ room," Weiss snapped. "Professor Kousaka specifically told me that it was a guest room!"

"It might as well be my room!" Yang growled.

"Weiss, why are you here?" Kyousuke asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"You mean your mother _still _hasn't told you?" she demanded. "Didn't you see the moving van outside? Obviously, I'm going to be staying here until we go to Beacon."

"What?!" He choked. "Why?!"

"Because your mother offered," Weiss said simply.

"Why does _no one_ tell me these things?!" Kyousuke shouted before turning to her with a sharp glare. "And why did you kick Yang out of her… the guest room? We have plenty of others."

"Because it's the closest one to yours, of course." The girl sniffed, turning her nose up at him. "Honestly... Less than twenty-four hours and you're already cheating on me?"

"_Cheating?!_" Yang roared. "What do you mean _cheating?!_"

"Weiss, I thought we agreed that we were only going to be friends." Kyousuke sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose once more. He winced, however, when he accidentally rubbed his wound.

Yang, it seemed, just now spotted the bandage on his face. Her anger quickly melted away and was replaced by concern. "Kyo, what happened?"

"Just a scuffle," he said tiredly. Yang opened her mouth to prod further, but was interrupted by Ruby.

"Whoa!" the redhead exclaimed. "I like the new look, Bro!"

The blonde did a double take. Her eyes widened as she realized just what he was wearing. "K-Kyo…!" Yang muttered, drinking in his appearance. It was like a blast from the past.

"Honestly, I think it's a little too flashy," Kyousuke said, looking himself over in distaste.

"No way!" Ruby grinned, throwing him a thumbs-up. "It looks great!"

"Whatever," Kyousuke sighed. He could feel the beginnings of a headache creeping through his skull. "Look. A lot has happened today. I'll explain it all later. But for now, can we all just calm down and—"

"I'm home!" another voice called out. Kyousuke immediately paled.

Kirino stepped into the room, freezing when she noticed the sheer number of people inside. She stared at all the room's occupants, her gaze landing squarely on Weiss before turning to Kyousuke with a glare. "You brought another of your bimbo girlfriends home?" she asked, a look of disgust crossing her face.

Kyousuke could only groan as this sparked yet another shouting match between all four girls. As he slowly collapsed into a nearby chair, he could only think one thing.

'_I just want my normal life back!'_

* * *

**A/N: Well, that was certainly interesting. This was a pretty long chapter. A lot happened. Were you able to keep up? **

**If you want to know what Kyousuke's combat outfit looks like, there is a (poorly photoshopped) full-body image of him wearing it in his image gallery on my Google Site.**

**To find it, go to my profile. Click on the link under "I Can't Be a Huntsman". Find Kyousuke under "Characters". On the right side of his profile, there is a link to his image gallery.**

**Final Fantasy fans should recognize it immediately.**

**I've also got an image of Kirino's battle outfit if you're interested. Just go to her image gallery. Follow the same process as above, only with Kirino.**

**It's also from Final Fantasy. Can you guess which one?**

**Anyway, please leave your comments below and as always, thanks for reading!**

**-Your King**


	4. A Mother's Love

**A/N: **_**Some of you may have noticed, but I've retconned the name of Weiss' mother. Before, it was Bianca (Italian for "white") . I have changed it to Yuki (Japanese for "snow").**_

**Also, the Winter Schnee that you will see in this fic will be an OC, as this was written well before she was announced at RTX. Since she serves as a fairly big plot point, I couldn't just adjust a few things to make it fit with canon. Just a fair warning to any new readers who are absolutely unable to read anything that doesn't comply with canon.**

* * *

Kyousuke shuffled listlessly into his bedroom. He gently closed the door behind him before promptly collapsing onto the mattress. "Bed..." the teen grunted, his voice muffled by the pillow. "I'm never leaving you again."

Although the statement might seem ridiculous, he meant every word. After dealing with Kirino, Yang and Weiss all at the same time, any man would feel the same. He'd managed to avert a _total _disaster by explaining his situation as best he could, but the damage was still pretty severe. To say that Yang and Weiss disliked each other was akin to saying that fire is hot. The two were like oil and water, constantly clashing with one another.

And it was clear that the heiress had not endeared herself to Ruby either. While there was no open hostility between them, Weiss' holier-than-thou attitude seemed to rub her the wrong way. And then, there was Kirino. Like Ruby, she showed no outward hostility towards their new housemate. But her passive-aggressive behavior towards the heiress was obvious, even to him.

They managed to get through his 'celebratory dinner' without any bloodshed, though Kyousuke feared it was only a matter of time.

'_We'll be back tomorrow,'_ Yang had promised, though it had been more of a declaration since she'd said this while staring directly at Weiss. The white-haired princess had just glared right back at her in response. After dinner, Kirino had trudged upstairs with only an obligatory '_thanks for the food_', ignoring Kyousuke and Weiss completely. The heiress, after bidding him a soft '_goodnight_' had likewise retired to her new room and had not been seen since.

The black-haired boy glanced at his clock to see that it was only 9:00PM. But factoring in his current exhaustion, Kyousuke saw no reason not to turn in early himself. Flicking the lights off, he stretched out and closed his eyes…

_CRACK!_

"Gah!" Kyousuke cried, feeling his cheek sting from the impact of a slap. He blearily opened his eyes to see the hazy outline of his sister hovering above him. "Kirino?!" Kyousuke glanced at the clock to see it was 12:30. He'd only been asleep for a few hours. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I need life counseling." Was all she said before getting off him and leaving.

The black-haired boy sighed and glared at the ceiling for several moments. He mentally debated just going back to sleep, but figured Kirino would exact terrible vengeance on him if he did. Sighing one more time, he forced himself up and made his way towards his sister's room.

* * *

"You mean you _still _haven't made any progress?!" Kirino demanded as she looked over his save file of _Rabu Rabu Imouto_.

"What did you expect?" Kyousuke growled. "I've been out all day. And do you really think I'd start playing an eroge with Yang, Ruby _and _Weiss all in the house?"

"Well, you'd better get your ass in gear," the girl sniffed. "There are others waiting in line."

"You're lending it to someone else?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "If that's the case, go ahead and lend it to them. I'll finish it after they're done, so—"

"No!" Kirino snapped. "I mean there are other _games _after _this _one!"

"W-What?" Kyousuke nearly whimpered. "Why?! Why do I have to play _more _of them?!"

"There's no way you can grasp the full beauty of the genre after just one game," his little sister said haughtily. "Let me tell you; this is just the tip of the iceberg. You've only just begun down the righteous path of eroge."

'_Righteous path?' _he mentally bemoaned. _'When did I start?!'_

"Give me a break…" Kyousuke muttered. "If you want to talk about it so badly, why don't you just go talk to your friends? Why does it have to be _me?_" Kirino gave no answer. She simply stared at him, her brows burrowed. "You… don't have any friends that are into this stuff, do you?" he asked, realization dawning on his face.

"It… It's not like I haven't _tried…_" she muttered, turning away from him. "There were a couple people in my class that were into otaku stuff… But every time I tried to approach them, I'd get cold feet."

Kyousuke stared at her for several moments. So, _that _was why she wanted him to play these games. Kirino wanted to share her passions, but she had no one to talk to. For all her friends and popularity… she was alone in a crowd.

"I see…" he murmured, standing up and striding over to her.

"You see what?" Kirino asked in confusion. Kyousuke stepped next to her and adjusted her laptop so that it was facing him.

"You said you wanted life counseling, didn't you?" the boy questioned, smiling slightly. "Well, here's my counsel. You want talk to someone who shares the same hobbies with you, am I right? Someone that will be able to keep up with you in anime, games or eroge, even if you go all-out."

"So… you want me to go makes friends with otakus?" Kirino looked down. "But… if I'm seen with them… People will think I'm weird."

"Well, you _are_ pretty weird…" Kyousuke agreed. He jumped aside as Kirino attempted to jab him in the ribs. "I'm kidding. I told you, remember? I won't judge you for your hobbies… But what about _you?_ Why are you so hesitant to be grouped together with people who are the same as you?"

"Because that's just the way society is!" she snapped. "They belittle and look down on people like them… Like _me_. I don't want to lose all my friends because they think I'm weird!"

"Kirino," Kyousuke shook his head. "If they leave you because of something like this, they weren't really your friends to begin with." His little sister bit her lip and turned away from him. Finally, after several minutes of silence, she nodded.

"Alright." She turned her gaze back towards him. "What are you planning?"

"To check out some social networking sites," Kyousuke said as he surfed the web on Kirino's computer. "They're a good place to start if you're looking for people that share your interests. One of these groups _must _be an otaku group. Maybe they'll even meet IRL every once in a while."

"A-An IRL meeting?" Kirino almost squeaked. "B-But… I don't want to be alone with a bunch of sweaty otaku guys!"

"Yeah," the teen muttered. "That _is _a concern…" He clicked on a link. "Wait. Here we go."

Kirino leaned over his shoulder and read.

"Otaku Girls Unite?" she read aloud the words on the screen. Kyousuke sent a request to join the group and was surprised to see a reply just a few minutes afterwards.

'_Greetings, Kiririn-sama. _(As that was Kirino's online handle)_ My name is Saori and I am the administrator of the community "Otaku Girls Unite". Thank you very much for your request to join. Of course we will gladly approve of your membership. I have a great feeling that we can be the best of friends as two individuals of similar age and interests.'_

"She seems nice," the boy remarked. "Very polite."

'_Though this may seem abrupt, we currently have a tea party scheduled for this weekend._ _While we would be honored if you would attend, we understand if this is too soon for you. Should you elect to join us, the party will be held at noon this Saturday at the Cure Maid Cafe in the commercial district. Regards from Saori—'_

"Vagina?!" Kyousuke cried out in shock.

"No, you idiot!" Kirino snapped. "It's pronounced _Bajeena_. It's a _Gundam _reference."

"A-Ah," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "S-Sorry. So, what do you think? Are you going to attend?"

"I don't know…" she murmured. "This is all happening a little fast…"

"You might as well get it over with," Kyousuke pointed out. "No sense dragging it out."

"...Fine."

"Alright, then—"

"But you're going with me!"

"What? Why?!"

"Because this was your idea in the first place!" Kirino snapped. "Besides… If I go by myself… I might end up getting cold feet again. I need you to make sure that doesn't happen."

"But this is a _girl's_ group," Kyousuke pointed out. "I can't just show up uninvited."

"You could cross-dress." the girl suggested.

"Hell, no!" he roared. "And they'd see through that in a second!"

"Tch, that's true…" Kirino glared at him. "Why couldn't you have been a bishounen-type?"

"Shut up," Kyousuke growled before sighing, his shoulders sagging slightly in defeat. "But, I guess this _was _my idea... Alright, how's this? I know the cafe she was talking about. I've walked passed it dozens of times while hanging out with Yang. There's a secluded spot right across the street from it. I'll keep an eye on you from there."

"Like some kind of creepy stalker?" she demanded.

"Hey, that's the best idea I've got!" he snapped. "Take it or leave it!"

Kirino glared at him for several moments before sighing. "Fine." She glanced at the her clock to see that it was almost 2:00AM. "It's late. I've got to meet up with some of my friends tomorrow, so I should get some sleep."

And with that, she shooed him out of her room. Heaving a weary sigh, Kyousuke returned to his own bedroom.

* * *

The next time he awoke, it was to the ringing of his alarm clock rather than a slap to the face. At this point, which he would have prefered was debatable. With a groan, Kyousuke turned and glared at the device. He mentally debated frying it with a spark of electricity, but figured his parents wouldn't be too happy about replacing yet _another _one.

So, with what was truly Herculean effort, Kyousuke hauled himself out of bed and, grumbling to himself, he switched the alarm off. He yawned slightly, stretching himself out.

"_AAAAAAAHHHH!_" A high-pitched scream suddenly pierced through the otherwise silent house. Kyousuke's eyes widened. That had sounded like Weiss! The teen wasted no time darting out of his room and down the hallway. He quickly rounded the corner to see a shell-shocked Kirino sitting next to the bathroom door, murmuring to herself.

"I-I can't believe it…"

"Kirino!" Kyousuke said, kneeling down and grasping her by the shoulders. "What happened?" He noticed that the girl had a strange red mark on her face, but he paid it no heed. Kirino didn't answer him.

"T-They were _huge…_" she whispered, her eyes staring straight through him. "How is that even possible…? They looked tiny yesterday..."

"Kirino!" the boy growled. "Snap out of it! Where is Weiss?" Silently, Kirino turned towards the bathroom door. Kyousuke's eyes narrowed and he rushed towards it.

"Weiss!" he cried, throwing the door open. "Is everything… okay…?" Kyousuke trailed off as he found himself face to face with a near-naked Weiss; the only article of clothing on her body being a pair of light-blue panties. The two stared at each other for several moments before…

"_Kyaaa!_" the white-haired girl cried, diving into a squat while simultaneously covering her surprisingly large breasts.

Ah. So _that's _what Kirino had been talking about.

"I — er…"

"What is _wrong _with you people?!" Weiss shouted. "Don't you know how to _knock?_"

He honestly didn't know what to say other than… "S-Sorry?"

"Just get out!" Kyousuke didn't have enough time to react before...

_CRACK_

* * *

"I said I was sorry," Kyousuke grumbled, rubbing the bright red slap-mark on his cheek. Kirino sat beside him, her own slap-mark just now starting to fade.

"Sorry doesn't fix everything!" Weiss snapped from her seat on his other side.

"I still can't believe it…" Kirino muttered, her breakfast sitting only half-eaten before her. "She was _flat _yesterday…"

"That's because I wear a corset!" the heiress growled. "Not that it's any of your business!"

"My, my!" Yoshino giggled from across the table. "Things sure have gotten lively around here, haven't they?"

"Un," Daisuke grunted as he read the morning paper.

"Really, though, Professor," Weiss huffed. "Why does this house have no locks on its doors?"

"Hmm," Yoshino hummed. "Well, in our ancestral culture — in the Far East — it was believed that the community should come before the individual. And while that line of thinking had mostly faded, traces can still be felt in modern times. We have no locks as a sign of faith and trust in one another."

"Well, while this is certainly _fascinating_," Kirino stood, having quickly finished her meal as their mother spoke. "I've got to go meet up with my friends. Thank you for the food."

"You're welcome," the brunette smiled. "And stay safe!"

"Don't worry," The girl waved her concern off. She then gestured towards an object wrapped in white cloth that was propped up against the wall beside her. "I'll bring Starseeker with me."

As Kirino left, Weiss turned to him, a curious expression crossing her face. "Starseeker?" she questioned.

"Kirino's weapon of choice," Kyousuke explained. "It's a bowsword."

"So, like your gunblade but with a bow, rather than a gun?"

"Pretty much," he nodded. "And with a longsword instead a saber."

Suddenly, however, Kirino slammed the door open as she re-entered the room, prompting its occupants to turn to her in shock. "This is all _your _fault!" she snapped, glaring at Kyousuke fiercely.

"Just what are you going on about now?" he demanded.

"This!" Kirino moved aside, revealing a familiar blonde bombshell standing behind her.

"Hey, Kousaka family!" Yang grinned. "And Ice Queen." She added in a bored tone; almost as an afterthought.

Now, this in itself was hardly unusual. Over the years, the girl had formed a habit of showing up at any given time of the day. No, what _was _unusual was the rather large suitcase currently sitting at her feet. "Yang…" Kyousuke muttered, glancing at Weiss; a feeling of dread building up in the pit of his stomach as the heiress stared at the other girl with barely concealed contempt. "W-What's with the suitcase?"

"What, your mom didn't tell you?" the blonde questioned. "I asked her yesterday if I could stay here until we head out to Beacon."

"Well," Daisuke suddenly spoke up, folding his newspaper and placing it in the crook of his arm. "I'd better get going. I'm needed down at the station." He gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek before beating a hasty retreat.

'_You coward!' _Kyousuke mentally roared. Out loud, he growled at his mother. "Why do you _never _tell me anything?!"

"Ahaha!" Yoshino chuckled, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "It slipped my mind. I told her it was fine as long as her father agreed."

"And he did!" Yang grinned. "On one condition, though." She pointed behind her, where Kyousuke just now noticed Ruby shuffling about. "Ruby has to chaperone us."

The redhead gave them an awkward wave. "Hi…"

"Chaperone?" Kirino demanded incredulously. "Who's the older sibling here?!"

"You can't be serious!" Weiss snapped. "What are your true motives, you barbarian?"

"You didn't really think we'd let you stay here with Kyo all by yourself, did you?" Yang asked, throwing her a very malicious grin.

"Of course," the heiress sniffed. "We're _engaged_."

"In a _fake _engagement," the blonde bombshell countered. "As far as I'm concerned, you're just two strangers who happen to be sharing living space. As Kyo's _childhood friend_, it's my job to make sure you don't try and steal his virtue in the middle of the night."

Kyo's virtue was _hers _to take, after all!

"How dare you!" Weiss shrieked. "I'm not some scarlet woman!"

Kyousuke, Kirino and Ruby watched the two continue to argue back and forth. Had this been an anime, Kyousuke was sure there would be sparks flying between their eyes. "Well," Ruby said, letting out an awkward cough. "I'll just… bring our bags upstairs."

"I'll help," Kyousuke sighed. He turned to Kirino. "Don't you have to go meet up with your friends?"

His sister sent him a dirty glare, but nodded reluctantly. "Yeah," Kirino muttered before glaring at him one final time. "Just make sure that when you start banging, it's in _your _room, pervert."

"Damn it!" he growled. "I'm not — Ugh." Kyousuke groaned as she simply ignored him and walked out the front door. He glared at the door for several moments before grabbing Yang's suitcase and making his way upstairs. Ruby followed him with her own bags.

"Kirino didn't look very happy," the redhead said quietly.

"She just doesn't like it when things are out of her control," Kyousuke shrugged. "She'll get over it eventually."

Ruby half-grimaced, clearly not believing him. "No," the girl murmured, shaking her head. "She's never really liked us. I've tried to be friendly with her, but… I don't understand why she seems to hate me so much."

"Well, whatever it is," he said as they dropped the bags off in one of the guest rooms. "It's her problem; not yours. You didn't do anything to warrant that kind of behavior."

The red-haired girl smiled slightly. "Thanks," she muttered. "About the incident on the roof two nights ago, too. We never finished that conversation, did we?"

"There's nothing _to _finish, Ruby," Kyousuke smiled, patting her on the shoulder. "You're like my little sister. You and Yang are practically family. I'd do anything to keep you safe."

"A-Ah," Ruby stuttered. Her face flushed slightly and she averted eye contact. "Like that game you were playing? Cause Yang said— er…"

"No!" Kyousuke squeaked, his face turning red. "Not like that! And I told you, that game wasn't mine!"

"Ah…" The girl wasn't sure how to feel about that. "J-Just forget I asked!"

The two stood in awkward silence for several moments before Kyousuke let out a cough. "W-We should get back down there before they destroy the house."

"Y-yeah."

The two teens made their way back downstairs, where it seemed the argument was finally beginning to die down. "Just stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours," Weiss said coldly just as they re-entered the room.

"Agreed," Yang nodded. "So, you just stay in _my _former room and well away from Kyo."

The white-haired girl looked ready to snap back at her, but was interrupted by Kyousuke's mother, much to his and Ruby's relief. "Ah, that's right. Weiss?" Yoshino called out from where she was washing dishes. "Your father's birthday is coming up in a few weeks. Have you gotten him a gift yet?"

"Your dad's birthday?" Kyousuke questioned as he took a seat at the table.

The heiress nodded. "Yes, he'll be turning forty this year," she said. "I had hoped my gift for him would be a wedding," Weiss sent a glare at Kyousuke and _especially _Yang, who was looking far too smug for her tastes. "But it seems that that's no longer possible."

"Hah," Kyousuke smiled sheepishly. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"I hope so," Weiss said. "It needs to be prepared in time for the gala."

"Gala?" Ruby asked curiously. "What's that?"

"It's a formal event, orchestrated and attended by the upper echelons of society," the heiress said pompously, looking down her nose at the redhead. "Commoners wouldn't understand."

Ruby simply glared at her in response.

"It's a party for stiff-legged rich folk," Yang translated, casually leaning back in her chair. "Total drag if you ask me."

"Well, no one asked you!" Weiss snapped before turning to Kyousuke. "You know how to waltz, correct?"

"Huh?" He blinked at the seemingly random change of subject. "Why?"

"Because you'll need to know for the gala," she spoke as though this were obvious. "We'll be going together, after all."

"Wait, _what?!_" both Kyousuke and Yang shouted.

"Why am _I _going?" the boy demanded.

Weiss looked at him as though he were a complete idiot. "Don't you think it would look strange if I showed up by myself?" she asked, irritation seeping into her voice. "We're supposed to be courting. We need to be seen together at public events like this."

"And even if that weren't the case," Yoshino spoke up from the sink. "We'd be attending anyway. It's being held downtown, at the Plaza Hotel ballroom. Svernare has invited our family as his personal guests."

Kyousuke groaned, but nodded reluctantly. "Well, at least I'm getting a heads-up this time," he muttered, sending his mother a cross look. "Yeah, I can dance. It's a required part of the program at Signal."

"Good," Weiss nodded, throwing a smug look at the fuming blonde sitting across from her. "The gala will be multi-purposed. It serves as a birthday party for my father, a formal announcement of our courtship and a congratulatory celebration for our enrollment at Beacon. Quite a bit of attention will be placed on us, so you'll need to be on your best behavior."

"How many people will be there?"

"Hundreds, easily," she answered crisply. "Mostly my father's business associates and their families."

"And they'll all be gawking at us?" The boy groaned yet again. "Perfect. Anybody in particular I should keep an eye out for?"

"No, not really," Weiss paused. "Just… my sister, I suppose."

"I didn't know you had a sister," Kyousuke remarked, surprise coloring his tone.

"Oh, great," Yang sighed. "There are more of you?"

The white-haired princess sent her a nasty glare. "We aren't… the closest of siblings."

"I can relate." The boy sighed. "Alright. So, I need to dance and keep an eye out for your sister? Anything else I should know?"

"Nothing you really need to worry about," Weiss said. "We'll arrive, eat a light dinner, toast to my father's health. Then, I'll open the night's entertainment with a short vocal performance—"

"Wait, vocal performance?" Ruby asked in surprise. "You're gonna sing?"

"Yes," the heiress nodded. "It's a tradition my mother started nearly twenty years ago."

"Your mother was a singer, too?" Kyousuke questioned.

"She was a small-time singer," Yoshino explained as she re-entered the room, drying her hands on a towel. "I knew her from school. One night, I took Svernare out to the bar where she performed. It was love at first sight. And the rest… well, you can see where it led."

"Whoa… That's so... _romantic_..." Yang murmured, slightly impressed.

"A pauper getting swept off her feet by a prince!" Ruby agreed enthusiastically. "Just like a fairy tale!"

Weiss nodded, a sad smile forming on her face. "She would sing all the time," the white-haired girl said softly. "One of my earliest memories was of her singing to me. It's why _I_ love to sing."

"Wow," Kyousuke murmured, staring at the white-haired girl sitting across from him as though truly seeing her for the first time. "Seems there's… a _lot _I don't know about you."

"Well, you've got four years to learn," Weiss chuckled. Kyousuke was quick to return the gesture.

Yoshino watched, a small smile on her face. "Weiss," she said, after several moments. "About your mother… I think I have something you'd be interested in. Kyousuke, why don't youcome with us. Yang, Ruby, I'm sorry, but..."

"It's fine, Mrs. K," Yang smiled slightly. "We've got some unpacking to do, anyway."

"This is… odd," Weiss frowned. "I would have thought you'd be up in arms about me being alone with your childhood friend."

"Let's just say that I know what it's like," the blonde explained quietly. "To crave information about someone you never had the chance to know." She nodded at them before tapping Ruby on the shoulder. The two sisters left them and made their way upstairs. Yoshino nodded and gestured for the two remaining teens to follow.

* * *

"The old storage shed?" Kyousuke grunted as he forcibly pried the door open. "When's the last time anyone went in here?"

"It's been a while," Yoshino agreed as the trio entered the old, but surprisingly large building.

"There's dust _everywhere_," Weiss complained.

"Yeah, that happens when no one cleans a building in a few years," the black-haired teen quipped, wincing as she slapped him on the shoulder.

"Hm," Yoshino hummed as she scanned the rows of shelves. "It should be here somewhere…"

"What are we looking for, Mom?" Kyousuke questioned.

"A small box," she murmured. "It should say her name on it…"

Weiss perked up. "Yuki…?"

"That's your mom's name?" the black-haired boy asked. The heiress nodded and she, too, began to search.

Kyousuke turned to the row of shelves beside him, trying to see through the layer of dust that had built up over the years. Among the various empty boxes and random knickknacks laying around, locating a small box was proving to be a daunting task.

However, after nearly thirty minutes, Weiss spoke up. "What is this?" Kyousuke turned to see her staring up at a white case, a foot or so beyond her reach. On the box, he could see a single character written in black ink.

"That's the kanji for snow," he told her. On the other side of the room, Yoshino's eyes widened.

"That's it!" she exclaimed, startling both teens. "Yuki means _snow!_ That's the box we're looking for!" Kyousuke wasted no time in striding over and grabbing hold of the case before carefully lowering it to the ground. Weiss gently tugged the box's lid open, revealing its contents.

It was by no means a treasure trove. Inside were a handful of books. Journals, it looked like. Sitting on top of the pile was a small photo album. Also packed inside the box were a few knickknacks and memorabilia, like a harmonica and an ice skating-figurine.

The white-haired heiress picked up one of the journals and flipped it open. Kyousuke watched as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I… can't read any of this…" she murmured.

"They're mostly written in Japanese, I'm afraid," Yoshino spoke up, smiling softly. "That's why I asked Kyousuke to come. I thought the two of you could work together in translating them."

Weiss looked up at him with a hopeful glint in her eyes. Honestly. She expected him to say no?

"I will," he nodded. The girl smiled gratefully before replacing the journal and picking up the photo album. She flipped it open and on the very first page was a photo of a stunningly beautiful woman smiling at the camera.

"That's her…" Weiss said softly.

"You look just like her," Kyousuke remarked, leaning over her shoulder to peer down at the book sitting on her lap.

"That's what my father always tells me," she chuckled. Neither of them noticed Yoshino quietly slip out of the room as they continued leafing through the photo album. Weiss flipped the page to see a photo featuring younger versions of both her mother and father. Both of them had an embarrassed look on their face as they yelled at whoever was taking the picture.

Kyousuke had a sneaking suspicion that it had been his mother. His suspicion was confirmed when, in the next picture, Yoshino was shown sitting with a pained grimace on her face as she cradled a large lump on her head and Weiss' mother standing above her, looking very smug.

The heiress turned the page and — to Kyousuke's surprise — found a photo of two toddlers playing together. One had dark, black hair, the other had snow-white hair. "Hah," the boy chuckled. "I guess we really _were _childhood friends."

Weiss smiled slightly and turned the page. Kyousuke noticed something fall out of the album, but his attention was drawn to the new photograph. It was noticeably older than the others and slightly frayed at the edges.

It featured Weiss' mother wearing a stunning dress, standing on a small stage singing into a microphone. "I can see why your father fell head-over-heels for her," he said. "She was gorgeous."

The girl nodded, smiling. Kyousuke turned his attention to the object that had fallen out of the album. It was a small, folded sheet of paper. Its slightly yellow appearance gave him an idea of how old it was. Kyousuke reached down and picked it up, carefully unfolding it as he did so.

"Weiss…" he murmured. The heiress turned to him. She raised an eyebrow at the paper in his hands before gently taking it.

"It… It's a song," she said softly. "It's a song written by my mother."

Kyousuke read the sheet over her shoulder. "It looks like a ballad," he remarked. "The lyrics are in broken English, though."

"That makes sense," Weiss muttered, her eyes scanning over the piece. "She didn't speak English very well when she immigrated…"

"It was on the same page as the photo," he pointed out. "Take a look at the date. Does it mean anything to you?"

The white-haired girl did so and her eyes widened in realization. "T-This is the year my parents met," she whispered. "She must have wrote this for my father. I can't believe this has been here all this time..."

Kyousuke stared at the music sheet for several moments, before something clicked in his head. "Weiss!" he exclaimed, startling the girl. "This is it!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your gift for your father," Kyousuke elaborated. "You should sing this for him at the gala!"

Weiss stared at him for a minute before her face broke out into a smile. "You're a genius!" she exclaimed.

"We just need to clean up the lyrics a little…"

"No." She shook her head firmly. "My mother poured her heart into these lyrics. It doesn't matter if they're imperfect."

Kyousuke was silent for several moments before nodding. "You're right," he said. "And that's what makes it the perfect gift."

"I'll need to start preparing," Weiss muttered. "I have to contact the band that will be performing with me. I was originally going to sing one of my own songs. We'll have to make some adjustments… I'll need to start practicing right away..."

"Well, maybe I can help with that," he said, picking up the harmonica from her mother's box. "That first note looks like a _G_."

"You can read music?" she asked in surprise.

Kyousuke nodded. "Kirino and I both took piano lessons when we were kids," he explained. "Never really panned out, but I can read decently enough."

"Hmm," Weiss hummed, looking at him thoughtfully. "It seems there's quite a bit I still don't know about _you_, as well."

"Well, you have four years to learn," he chuckled. Weiss smiled at him.

"Hmph, well, you were right. The first note is a _G_." Kyousuke blew on the harmonica and Weiss began to sing in a soft voice.

"_Whenever sang my songs…"_

* * *

"Well," Daisuke said as he looked around the surprisingly in-tact dining room. "Seems that the house is still standing."

"Just what do you take us for, Mr. K?!" Yang demanded indignantly from where she and Ruby were helping Yoshino prepare dinner.

"A group of irresponsible, hormonal teenagers carrying a myriad of dangerous weaponry," the policeman said. Seeing that none of them were willing to look him in the eye, he nodded in satisfaction.

Kyousuke sat, sipping his favorite barley tea as he soaked in the — for the most part — relaxing atmosphere. It seemed that the girls had come to an understanding of sorts or at least called a temporary ceasefire. Beside him, Weiss was humming her mother's song quietly to herself while Kirino flipped through a fashion magazine across from them. Perhaps things would finally begin to calm down around here. Kyousuke certainly hoped so.

"So, blondie," Kirino spoke up, drawing their attention. "How's it feel to be _second _for once?"

Kyousuke had no idea what she was talking about, but he certainly didn't like her tone. Yang, however, seemed to understand perfectly.

"What are you talking about?" she scoffed, staring at Kirino's… chest? "Did you grow an inch or something?"

"I'm not talking about me," his sister chuckled. "I'm talking about Ice Queen."

"Why does everyone call me that?" Weiss demanded.

"You're kidding, right?" Yang laughed. "She's a washboard."

"She wears a corset," Kirino said, her voice deadly serious.

Suddenly, Kyousuke realized what they were talking about. "Oh, no…" he whispered.

"Seriously…?" the blonde questioned, her face set into a hard line. Kirino nodded solemnly. Slowly, Yang turned to Weiss, who froze at the look on the blonde's face.

"W-Why are you looking at me like that…?" the heiress asked nervously as Yang began stalking towards her. "S-Stay back!"

"Sorry, Princess, but I gotta see this for myself…"

Kyousuke sighed, slowly sinking into his seat and lowering his head into his folded arms. It seems he'd spoken up too soon. It was times like this that made him honestly think he would be better off at Beacon. Surely, things would calm down there, right?

"G-Get away! Unhand me at once! S-Someone, stop her!"

Kyousuke sighed once more. He could only hope...

* * *

**A/N: A shorter chapter than the last one. Mostly to set the stage and give information on a few things that will be taking place in a few chapters. **

**As I said at the start of the chapter, I retconned Weiss' mother's name from "Bianca" to "Yuki". I felt it was more fitting.**

**Kuroneko and Saori should be in the next chapter.**

**Also, in the "White" Trailer, Weiss is shown singing Mirror, Mirror in front of an audience. In my fic, this will be at the gala.**

**And yes, Kyousuke taking piano lessons at as a kid was totally a reference to Piano Squall.**

**Better pictures of Kirino's weapon are up on the site. An article on it is under "Weapons", too.**

**Not much happened in this chapter. But, hey, at least it didn't take months to update.**

**By the way, did you know that my original concept for a RWBY/OreImo crossover was much… darker? My original idea was more of an urban fantasy setting. Like Fate/stay Night - to those familiar with the series.**

**The Hunters acted from the shadows of the world, destroying Grimm before the general populace discovered them. I quickly realized that I had no idea how to make that work convincingly, so I dropped it.**

**Here's an excerpt from my original:**

_"Oi, Manami. Are we walking home together today?"_

_"A-Ah, sorry, Kyou-chan. Buchou-san wants me to help out after school today."_

_It was an ordinary conversation between two ordinary students. One was a black-haired young man, wearing a plain white polo-shirt and gray slacks. The other was a brown-haired girl wearing a feminine version of the boy's school uniform; a gray miniskirt being the only true difference between the two._

_It was an ordinary conversation between students. But if one paid attention, they could detect the underlying exhaustion in the boy's voice._

_"Ah, I see…"_

_"Ano… Kyou-chan?" the girl, Manami, questioned hesitantly. "Are you okay?"_

_"Eh?" the boy, Kyousuke, exclaimed nervously. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."_

_"You've been tired all day," Manami said sternly. "Did you get enough sleep last night?"_

_"Ah, I've was busy doing our English report, hahaha…"_

_"Kyou-chan…" the brunette murmured. "We… didn't have an English report."_

_"Oh, w-we didn't?" Kyousuke stammered nervously. "Ahaha, I actually meant… Oh! Look at the time!" he suddenly exclaimed, glancing at the clock. "I have to get home early today, so if you've still got stuff to take care of, I'll be going then!"_

_"E-Eh, but-" Manami attempted to stop him, but he was already out the door before she could get up. "Bye, I guess…"_

* * *

_"Idiot…" Kyousuke muttered to himself as he left the school grounds. "**That **certainly wasn't suspicious. Sorry, Manami, but… I don't think either of us could handle me telling the truth..."_

_The truth was, he'd spent the night being forced to play eroge with his little sister, but there was no way he could admit that!_

_"Honestly… the things I do for normalcy…"_

_From almost any perspective, Kousaka Kyousuke could only be described as normal. His looks were average. He got average grades. His athletic skills were average. And his day-to-day life could only be described as average._

_So why was such an average boy so obsessed with normalcy?_

_The truth is; he didn't always used to be so normal. In his earlier years, he was always the top of his class in school. He used to be the star runner of his school's track team. And he would always be the first to volunteer whenever something came up. He was the model student._

_But that still doesn't answer the question: Why was he so obsessed with normalcy?_

_Perhaps it was because –_

_"Oh, give me a break…" Kyousuke muttered. "Right now…? You have to be joking."_

_The black-haired boy clenched his fist and his entire body went tense. He could feel the shadows closing in around him._

_Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how one looked at it), he had been taking a shortcut through a secluded section of the park. He quickly ducked into a nearby copse of trees and out of sight._

_"Alright then, punks," the boy muttered. "Come and get me."_

_As though waiting for his cue, the surrounding shadows began to distort and take shape. All around him, grotesque creatures that vaguely resembled wolves appeared, snarling at him._

_Without warning, one of the creatures leapt at him, forcing the black-haired boy to jump aside. He then brought up his leg and roundhouse kicked the beast in the back. The beast let out a sharp yelp as it was sent flying into a nearby tree with a sickening **crack**._

_Eyes wide, Kyousuke looked up to see two more beasts charging at him. Glancing to his left, he saw a large branch that had fallen off a nearby tree. Snatching it, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath._

_The moment he heard one of the creatures leap at his throat, his eyes snapped open. In an instant, he raised the branch, a noticeable blue aura being emitted from the object, and used it to slice the creature in half._

_It was ugly. He had no form whatsoever and as a result, the creature's blood and internal organs began to spray all over him. Kyousuke grimaced. That's what he gets for having no formal training._

_Indeed. His skill came not from rigorous training or other such nonsense. No. His skill came from years upon years of fighting for his life._

_Breathing heavily, he glared his opponents down._

_Unknown to him, two figures stood in the distance, carefully observing the battle._

_"So, this is the boy?" a tall, blonde-haired woman questioned, adjusting her eyeglasses. A long, violet cloak hung from her shoulders._

_Beside her stood a middle-aged man with tousled gray hair and thin brown eyes. He, too, wore a pair of glasses and had a dark-green scarf wrapped around his neck._

_"Indeed, he is," the man hummed as he watched with interest. "I'd say our informant was on to something."_

_"His form is shoddy at best," the woman sniffed. "Hardly Huntsman material."_

_"True, his form could use some work," he admitted. "But… we can fix that."_

* * *

**If you're interested in taking the idea up, I highly encourage you to do so!**

**Anyway, be sure to leave a comment below and, as always, thanks for reading!**

**Your King**


	5. Black Cat

"_Tide goes in, tide goes out. You can't explain that. You can't explain why the tide goes in!"_

"I concur not, my good friend."

_**Bzzz**_

"_In other news, LeBron James-"_

"Don't care about LeCramp."

_**Bzzz**_

_"You're all with me?" _

_"Didn't we go through this already?" _

_"How many times do we have to say it?" _

_"To the ends of the earth." _

_"To the ends of time." _

_"Always." _

_"Then, let's go. We have a wedding to crash."_

"Another re-run? When are they going to release the next episode?!"

_**Bzzz**_

"_My Little Pony, My Little Pony…"_

"No." Yang let out a growl as she pressed the 'off' button on the television remote. "Ugh. There's nothing good on!"

"Then find something else to do!" Weiss snapped from the opposite end of the couch, where she was busy going over the lyrics to her mother's song. "Just stop whining, Honey Badger!"

_Honey Badger_ was the name Weiss had taken to calling Yang in retaliation to '_Ice Queen'_. It was generally agreed that she was not very good at coming up with nicknames, despite her insistence that it fit perfectly. Nevertheless, Yang had taken the name in stride.

"Honey Badger don't care," she grunted. "Honey Badger don't give a _shit_." Weiss' eyebrow twitched, but she refrained from commenting further.

"Really, Yang," Ruby muttered. "You've been acting like this ever since you found out that she has bigger breasts than you."

"They are _not _bigger!" the blonde growled. "They just _look _big in proportion to how short she is!"

"Can you not talk about my breasts when I'm sitting right here?" Weiss demanded. "Actually... On second thought; don't talk about my breasts, _period!_"

"Ugh!" Yang heaved a long, frustrated sigh. "Where the heck is Kyo?! He should've been back from the convenience store twenty minutes ago!"

"Wait," the white-haired girl broke in, a confused frown on her face. "The convenience store? He told me he was helping his sister shop for school supplies."

"Eh?" Ruby exclaimed. "But, Kirino told me that they were going to the hospital so Kyousuke could donate his kidneys!" An awkward silence descended upon the room as the other two girls turned to stare at her. "W-Why are you looking at me like that?"

"And you _believed _her?!" Weiss roared. Yang shot out of her seat, a dark scowl forming on her face.

"That jerk!" she growled. "He was supposed to be buying me ice cream!"

"I think there are more important issues at hand here!" the heiress pointed out, glaring at the taller girl. "Like why they would lie to us."

"I dunno…" Yang murmured, before a grin stretched across her face. She slammed her fist into an open palm. "But we're going to find out!"

* * *

Kyousuke shuddered, glancing back over his shoulder as a prickling sensation made its way down his spine.

"What's wrong?" Kirino asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I just had this sudden feeling of impending doom," the black-haired teen muttered, shaking his head. "Anyway, do I _really _have to come with you? You can handle a group of girls on your own, can't you?" It had been several days since Weiss and the others had moved in and the two siblings were currently walking down Main Street towards the commercial district. Or rather, Kirino was currently dragging her reluctant brother towards their destination.

"If you leave now, I'll probably end up going home too," she snapped. "Besides, we're almost there. You might as well stick it out till the end."

"Ugh," Kyousuke groaned. "Fine. Well, there it is…" The two rounded the corner to see a medium-sized establishment across the street. The sign out front read in flowing cursive, '_Cure Maid Cafe'_. It was where Kirino would be meeting with the online group, Otaku Girls Unite. "I'll be by that bench over there," Kyousuke gestured towards the opposite side of the street, where a bus stop bench was situated just in front of an alleyway.

"You'll definitely look like a creepy stalker from there," Kirino said, somewhat snidely. She glanced over at the cafe to see several girls already beginning to gather at the entrance. "I'd better go now..."

"That's the spirit," he smiled, ignoring her first comment entirely.

"To make sure no one sees me with you," the girl finished, striding over to the gaggle of girls waiting by the restaurant.

'_Damn her,'_ Kyousuke thought, glaring at her back_._ He sighed, cursing his own spinelessness for the umpteenth time before making his way over to the bench and collapsing onto it. The black-haired teen watched dispassionately as the all-female party entered the establishment together.

* * *

"Come on!" Yang urged as she, Ruby and Weiss trudged down the streets of Vale. "He went this way!"

"And just how do you know that?" the heiress demanded.

"I'm glad you asked, Ice Queen!" the buxom blonde grinned. She opened her scroll — which her companions noticed she'd been periodically checking every few minutes — and showed them the screen. Weiss raised an eyebrow. On the device was a scrawling map of the city. A yellow arrow in the residential district that was tagged _'Me'_, was blinking. Over in the commercial district was a blue dot, tagged _'Kyo'_. A green, dotted-line was stretched between the two, displaying the shortest path from Point A to Point B.

"This is my KyoDar," Yang said proudly. "I designed it myself."

"Y-You're tracking him?" Ruby squeaked.

"...Does he know about this?" Weiss asked lowly.

"Eh," the blonde shrugged. "What Kyo doesn't know won't hurt him."

"You can't be serious, Yang!" her sister protested. Weiss, on the other hand, was silent for several moments.

"I won't say anything to him," she said. "But I want a KyoDar as well."

"_Weiss!_"

"Deal." Yang grinned. The two shook hands on it.

* * *

Kirino sat silently, a feeling of awkwardness washing over her as the girls around her engaged in their own conversations. "Excuse me," the voice of their leader spoke. A tall, pony-tailed, green-haired girl rose from her seat, gently tapping her teacup with a spoon. "I'd like to thank all of ye for attending. As you know, my name is Saori Bajeena, de gozaru."

The group tittered at the phrase, bringing a smile to the girl's face.

"Though tis only for a short while, let us speak of ourselves and deepen our friendship," Saori continued. "And although this is only our first meeting, we are all bound by the bonds of otakudom. _Newtypes_ that understand each other's hearts. Let us spread the word! Now then, enjoy thine chat!"

The girls surrounding her cheered while Kirino just clapped politely, still feeling incredibly out-of-place. Unconsciously, she brought her hand to the hilt of her bowsword — which was currently wrapped in white cloth — in an attempt to comfort herself.

"Excuse me... Kiririn-san?"

"Ah!" she jumped, glancing at the admittedly nondescript girl beside her. "Y-Yes?"

"I love your outfit," the girl smiled. "Who are you cosplaying as?"

"I'm not cosplaying as anyone," Kirino replied, somewhat indignantly. "These are _my_ clothes."

"Oh, did you make it yourself?" another girl asked, fingering the tasseled shoulder pads of Kirino's outfit.

"No, actually," she answered, shifting away from her awkwardly. "My mother had it commissioned for me. I designed it though."

"Commissioned?" the first girl repeated in confusion.

"You know, for combat training," Kirino elaborated.

"C-Combat? Y-You're a Huntress?"

"I'm training to be one, yes."

"Then, that cloth you keep touching…" the other girl muttered. "Is it…?"

"Yup," Kirino grinned, pulling the cloth aside and revealing her signature blade. "This is Starseeker."

However, she did not receive the reaction she had been hoping for. "A-Ah," the girl stammered. "Isn't that… dangerous? Should you really be carrying it around like that?"

"I got my weapons license when I was ten," Kirino said, a confused frown forming on her face. "I know what I'm doing."

"I-I see," the girl quickly turned her attention to the other girl. "S-So, what pairing from _Dark Heart_ are you into…?"

"Ah, I just love Anna/Haru!"

"Really? Me too!" Kirino watched this in mild shock. She'd never had someone react like that when she told them of her training.

"Ha," a dark voice chuckled. Kirino glanced to her left to see a black-haired girl girl smirking at them from a few seats away. The girl was rather short; about the same height as Weiss, give or take an inch or two. Her long, black hair fell to mid-back in a hime-style cut. She had red eyes that glowed slightly — a common sign of repeated, extensive exposure to Dust.

She wore a long, gothic-lolita dress and resting in the crook of her arm was a strange, white, cat-like doll with bat wings. However, what drew Kirino's attention the most was the pair of black cat-ears, proudly displayed atop her head. A matching tail was jutting from her lower back and was currently swaying behind her in amusement.

She was a Faunus. The sole Faunus of their group.

"Intimidated, are we?" the Faunus girl asked, an amused glint in her red eyes. "How droll."

"O-Of course not!" the girl said defensively.

"Oh? But it certainly _seemed_ that way," the black-haired girl said with a coy smile, her tail curling in amusement.

"Tch," they heard another girl whisper. "Who invited the Faunus?"

Immediately, the smile fell from the cat-girl's face. Her ears twitched and her tail turned rigid as she turned to face the one who'd spoken. "Ara, did you have something to say to me?" she asked coldly. "If so, then, you should say it to my face."

Suddenly, the doll in her hands came to life and began floating beside her. "How dare you insult Kuroneko-sama, _kupo!_" the doll spoke in a squeaky, high-pitched voice that reminded Kirino of a small child.

"W-What the heck?!" one of the girls shrieked.

"Are you scared?" Kuroneko smiled coyly. "Tis my semblance, human. You know what _that_ is, don't you? It is an innate ability unique to each person. This is mine: _Animation_. I have the ability to turn any inanimate object into one of my minions. This here is Mog."

"You're gonna pay, _kupo!_" Mog exclaimed, flailing his tiny staff around like a club.

"So," the Faunus continued, her face still set in a cool smile. "Did you have something to say to me?"

* * *

Kyousuke yawned, his jaw giving off a satisfying crack as he did so. The girls seemed to be more or less hitting it off. As luck would have it, the group took a seat directly in front of the window, giving Kyousuke a perfect view of their party. None of them really stood out too much in his opinion… Well, except the black-haired Faunus girl and the _giant_ green-haired girl.

But even so, neither of them stood out as much as his little sister did. Kirino was currently wearing her signature battle outfit; complete with tasseled shoulder pads and steel-adorned boots. Starseeker laying rather conspicuously on the table before her wasn't helping.

"She sticks out like a sore thumb…" Kyousuke murmured. Not that he was one to talk, if the way every passersby pointed and stared at him was any indication. His black-leather outfit and Blazefire Saber strapped to his waist seemed to give off an intimidating appearance. Neither sibling would have worn their respective outfits if not for the insistence of their mother. With the increase of criminal activity in the city, the police were on high-alert and Yoshino, ever the worrywart, insisted that they be prepared for anything.

"Kirino was right," the teen sighed. "I _do _look like a creepy stalker." However, as he sat there, something felt… off. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and his muscles involuntarily tensed. His aura began to flicker in warning as his senses keened.

He was being watched.

For a moment, his mind wandered back to the sudden feeling of doom he experienced earlier and — making sure that his face never wavered from its indifferent stare — he stood. Kyousuke calmly made his way over to the secluded alleyway behind him. "I know you're there," he called out, keeping his hand near the hilt of his gunblade. "Show yourself!"

Kyousuke had little time to react as a black shadow fell from a nearby rooftop and charged at him. He barely cleared Blazefire Saber out of its holster in time to block the incoming slash at his jugular. The teen caught a brief glimpse of his attacker's amber eyes narrowing before the shadowy figure retreated — dashing further into the darkness of the alleyway.

The black-haired boy grit his teeth and glanced back at the cafe before following.

* * *

"Well?" the Faunus demanded, staring at the girl across the table, who was currently sweating bullets as all attention fell to her.

"A-Ah… I-I…"

"Now, now," Saori said in a placating manner. "Kuroneko-shi, let's all just calm down. There's no need for such talk among friends."

"Hmph," the black-haired girl sniffed, turning her nose up at the offending girl. "I suppose. Dealing with such ignorant trash is beneath me."

"You lucked out, _kupo!_" her doll, Mog, exclaimed.

The green-haired, pony-tailed girl smiled nervously and turned to face the group at large. "Now, let's carry on, everyone." The group let out a spatter of murmurs before carrying on whatever it was they were doing before the little debacle took place.

Suddenly, however, a scream pierced through the ambient noise of the cafe, drawing all attention towards the entry way. "There are gunshots coming from the alleyway across the street!" a woman cried out. "Someone call the police!"

Kirino glanced out the window in alarm to see people scattering in every which direction, panic etched on each of their faces. Around her, the group began panicking as well. "We've gotta get out of here!" one girl exclaimed.

"No, you idiot!" Kirino snapped. She quickly stood, picking up Starseeker as she did so. "You all stay here! Lock the doors, close the blinds and call the police!" She made to leave, however...

"Wait!" Saori called after her. "We're going with you."

"Sorry." Kirino told her. "Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but you'll just end up getting in my way."

"Don't act so high and mighty, knave," Kuroneko sniffed, crossing her arms.

"Kuroneko-sama will show you how awesome she is, _kupo!_" Mog agreed.

"You aren't the only Huntress-in-training here," the green-haired girl smiled, lifting a mechanical object out of her handbag. Kirino watched as it unfolded into a halberd. Beside her, Kuroneko raised a single palm, upon which a small fire burst into existence.

Kirino stared at them in astonishment for several moments before nodding.

"Alright, then," she said. "Let's go."

* * *

Kyousuke ducked beneath another slash, his eyes wide. He barely managed to bring up Blazefire Saber to parry an incoming thrust from his attacker's secondary weapon.

'_This guy is unbelievably fast!'_

The black-haired teen attempted to slash at the shadowy figure, but his gunblade met only an after image as the figure nimbly leapt away. His opponent hurled one of his weapons at him, forcing Kyousuke to leap to the side in an attempt to avoid it. However, as it sailed overhead, Kyousuke saw a long black ribbon attached to the hilt of the blade. His opponent quickly swung his arm in a wide arc, sending the weapon after him once again.

Falling into a roll, Kyousuke slashed the weapon aside before shifting his gunblade into Assault Mode. But before he could even fire a shot, his attacker was upon him. The black-haired teen hastily raised his weapon in defense to stop the incoming blade in its tracks. His opponent began raining a flurry of blows upon him and steadily began to push him back.

It was all he could do just to keep up and avoid serious injury. His opponent had landed several glancing blows on him, while the black-haired teen hadn't been able to return any at all. Kyousuke's eyes widened as he felt something wrap around his leg. His attacker pulled his arm back, bringing the weapon — and the ribbon wrapped around Kyousuke's leg — with it.

With a grunt, the boy landed on his back — hard.

His opponent quickly closed in, seeing his first real opening since the skirmish began. However, making substantial contact with the black-haired teen had been his first and biggest mistake. Kyousuke quickly grabbed the weapon — a pistol with a katana mounted on top — and sent a stream of electricity down the blade and the ribbon his opponent was grasping in turn.

His attacker let out a high-pitched scream of pain as the electricity coursed through _her_ body.

Kyousuke blinked in surprise. It seemed his attacker was female. Her ungodly speed and the surrounding shadows had made it difficult to tell. The girl snapped her wrist, untangling her weapon from Kyousuke's leg and stumbled backwards.

The black-haired teen took a deep breath to steady himself. He closed his eyes and concentrated his aura around his body.

His attacker glanced up in alarm as the smell of ionized oxygen reached her nostrils. A bright blue glow emanated from the boy's body, as electricity rolled off of him in waves and his image seemed to _vibrate _where he stood. The girl shook her head and leveled her weapon…

Only to gasp in shock as Kyousuke suddenly appeared before her. She slashed wildly, only to meet empty air. The hair on the back of her neck prickled and she hastily leapt away to avoid an incoming strike from behind. The tables had turned. Kyousuke's earlier attack had left the girl's muscles stiff from the electric shock whereas he was using his semblance to artificially increase his speed.

Kyousuke's eyes narrowed as his gunblade slashed through another clone-like afterimage. Readying his gunblade, he dashed forward once more. The girl's eyes widened as she felt something tap her boots. Quickly spinning her blade in an arc, she stabbed behind her, only to meet air once more.

A bright blue glow in front of her drew her attention and she saw Kyousuke appear several feet in front of her. Seeing his low stance, she anticipated another attack and quickly leapt away…

Or at least tried to.

The girl nearly ended up falling face-first into the ground as her feet refused to budge. She glanced down at her shoes in shock to see small currents of electricity running along the soles of her boots. The ground beneath her also seemed to be similarly affected. She quickly glanced up and saw Kyousuke nearly upon her. The girl raised both of her weapons in a desperate last-ditch attempt to save herself.

It was in vain, however, as she soon found Blazefire Saber resting against her throat.

"Who are you?" Kyousuke demanded. Even his voice seemed to vibrate as electricity continued to roll off his body. "And why are you following me and my sister?"

"Me?" the girl snapped. "Who are _you?_ And why are _you _following _my _sister?"

…

…

...

What?

"What?" the black-haired boy asked, his face set into a confused frown. "You're not after Kirino?"

"Who is Kirino?" the girl asked, just as confused. "You're not after Ruri?"

"...You're kidding," Kyousuke deadpanned. "So, you… this… it was all just one, giant, clusterfuck of a misunderstanding?"

"A-Ah…" the girl murmured, a sheepish tone entering her voice. "...Sorry?"

Now that she was finally stationary, Kyousuke could finally make out her features. The girl was about the same height as Yang, with long, black hair, upon which sat a black bow. Her outfit consisted of a black buttoned vest with coattails, and a white, sleeveless undershirt that exposed part of her midriff as well as a pair of white compression shorts. She wore a pair of black, high-heeled boots and blackish-purple stockings. On her left bicep was a black arm sleeve. She had bright, amber eyes and skin that was rather pale, contrasting well with her dark hair and outfit.

"Well, this is just great…" the boy murmured. "Alright. Well, if you're really sorry; think you could do me a favor?"

"Huh?"

"Please, catch me," Kyousuke requested as the glow surrounding his body faded away and the electricity subsided. Immediately, his body began to lurch forward precariously. The girl let out a surprised squeak as she attempted to catch him, but a combination of her semi-paralyzed muscles and underestimation of his weight caused them both to fall to the ground in a heap.

"H-Hey! What's wrong?" she exclaimed from her rather awkward position straddling his waist.

Kyousuke groaned, but the sound was muffled by the girl's shirt. He felt as though his entire body was on fire. A consequence of using his semblance in such a reckless manner and the reason why he always hesitated to use it like that. He would be incapable of moving more than a few inches on his own for several minutes.

Well, at least—

"What the hell!?" a familiar voice roared. Kyousuke let out yet another groan as he glanced up to see Kirino and two of the otaku girls from the cafe staring at them, their jaws hanging open.

"Wow, how naughty, _kupo!_" Mog remarked.

"This isn't what it looks like," he said weakly. His attacker glanced down at him in confusion before realizing the rather incriminating position they were in. With a sharp intake of breath, she leapt off him, her face flushing in embarrassment.

"You were supposed to be keeping an eye on me," Kirino snapped. "And what do you do instead? You go molest some random girl in a dark alley!" One of the otaku girls — the black-haired one — was staring holes into Kyousuke's attacker, who he noticed was fidgeting awkwardly beneath the shorter girl's gaze.

"Look, this really isn't what you think," the boy said desperately, still unable to move. "I'll explain later, but… we really should get out of here." He could hear police sirens blaring in the distance. And if their father happened to be on duty, Kyousuke really did _not _want to be here.

Kirino let out an irritated sigh. "Fine," she grunted, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Help me move him. And quick, before the cops show up."

* * *

"Are you sure this is where he went?" Weiss asked skeptically as the trio of girls stopped in front of a bus stop bench. The entire street seemed to be devoid of people for some reason.

"This was his last known location before the KyoDar's frequency emitter was fried," Yang frowned.

"But why would he go to…" Ruby cocked her head at the building across from them. "What's a maid cafe?" Neither of her elders answered her.

"I-I see…" Weiss murmured, a thoughtful look on her face. "So, this is the kind of thing he likes...?"

"Wow, Kyo," Yang grinned. "I'm finding out so much about you that I didn't know before!" She let out a small chuckle. "Alright, little sister, Ice Queen!"

"H-Huh?"

"Change of plans!" the blonde exclaimed. "We're hitting the mall!"

"The mall?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. Yang just shook her head, chuckling as she began leading the way once more.

* * *

"Sorry about that," Kyousuke said to the black-haired girl sitting across from him. After escaping the alleyway, the group of five had made their way to a WcDonalds a few blocks away. Kyousuke and the black-haired girl had taken a table to themselves, while Kirino and her fellow otakus had taken one nearby.

"And I apologize for attacking you," she replied, calmly sipping her drink. "It's just… your weapon and the way you seemed so focused on them... unnerved me. You looked like a creepy stalker."

Kyousuke groaned, letting his face slam into the table, thankfully avoiding his Big Wac as he did. The nearby restaurant patrons turned to glare at him for the disturbance, but he paid them no heed. "Thanks," he grumbled.

"I was originally just going to interrogate you, but when you fought back… well…"

"It's fine. I get it." Kyousuke sighed before sitting up and giving her a curious once-over. "I never did catch your name."

"Blake," the girl told him. "Blake Belladonna."

"Kyousuke Kousaka," the boy said. He made a gesture to the girls sitting at the other table. "The girl dressed like a pop idol is my little sister, Kirino."

"Really?" Blake raised an eyebrow at him. "You two look nothing alike."

"Gee, thanks," Kyousuke snorted. "And I'm guessing the black one is yours?"

"...What makes you say that?"

"You're kidding right?" he asked incredulously. "You told me yourself that your sister was in the cafe. The resemblance between you two is uncanny. You even _dress _similarly. And don't think that bow is fooling me. I saw it twitch just now."

"I… see," Blake murmured, stroking the bow self-consciously. "She's my little sister — born less than a year after me."

"Irish twins? And judging by the way she's been glaring at you for the past ten minutes, I take it you're not on the best terms?"

"I could say the same to you," the girl countered, glancing over his shoulder. "Here they come now." Kyousuke turned to see Kirino and her two otaku friends dragging their table over to them.

"Alright, spit it out," his little sister demanded. "Just what the were you doing back there?"

"It was just a misunderstanding," he said, waving it off.

"Hey," the green-haired girl spoke up. "Kiririn-shi, who is this person? Is he your boyfriend?"

"No!" the two siblings shouted.

"He's just my perverted brother!" Kirino snapped.

"I resent that," Kyousuke grumbled, throwing her a glare. "The name's Kyousuke."

"Haha! I see!" the girl giggled before turning to the girl across from him. "And who might this be?"

"I'm—"

"Her name is Blake," the other black-haired girl said coolly. Kyousuke noticed the mentioned girl flinch out of the corner of his eye.

"Ah," the green-haired girl gave her a nervous smile. "Well, anyway, tis a pleasure to meet thee, Kyousuke-shi, Blake-shi. I am Saori Bajeena."

"My handle is Kuroneko," the other girl drawled. "Pleasure." She turned to Saori, an eyebrow raised. "Now, is there any particular reason we came here, rather than back to the cafe, Moderator?"

"Ahaha!" Saori giggled. "Looks like you caught me. You see, I'd been planning on throwing an after-party for those of you who weren't able to really connect with the others..."

"Namely, the two of us," Kuroneko said plainly. The ponytailed girl nodded.

"Indeed, Kuroneko-shi," she smiled. "Let us not treat each other as strangers, but as friends. Please, feel free to simply call me 'Saori'. Let's not worry about formalities amongst ourselves."

"_Saori?_ With your size?" the Faunus sniffed. "How can you go by that name? How impudent. Even if you're just trying to get a laugh when you introduce yourself, it's still poor. From now on, call yourself _Psyco Gundam, Big Zam_, or _Dendrobium_. Plus, the way you talk and dress..."

"It's just like a creepy otaku from the 90s," Kirino finished bluntly.

"Oi!" Kyousuke snapped. "Just because you've dropped formalities doesn't give you the right to insult her! Apologize, now!" The two blatantly ignored ignored him.

"Please, calm yourself, Kyousuke-shi," Saori spoke up, raising a hand. "To me, such a degree of insult is but a pleasant, gentle breeze." The girl got up and leaned forward until she was nearly face-to-face with him. "If you would like, please insult me as well!"

"...I can't tell if you're a nice person…"

"Or just crazy," Blake muttered under her breath.

"While we're on the topic of appearance," Kuroneko spoke up, raising an eyebrow at Kirino. "Just what possessed you to dress like _that _to an otaku meeting? It's little wonder everyone was intimidated by you."

"You're one to talk," his sister snapped. "Just what are _you _supposed to be? _Suigintou?_"

"Not even close," the black-haired girl frowned. "Are your eyes working correctly? It's the _Queen of Nightmares_ from _Maschera_."

"_Maschera?_" Kyousuke questioned, a confused frown on his face.

"It's Ruri's favorite anime," Blake informed him.

"I would prefer if you did not refer to me by my mortal name before these denizens of light," Kuroneko said before turning to Kyousuke. "Its full title is _Maschera: Lament of the Fallen Beasts._ Its story and art-style make it the most popular anime of the season. It airs on Thursdays at 5:30, so please watch it."

"Oh, that one?" Kirino exclaimed. "That's the one that airs opposite of Meruru. That juvenile anime!"

Kuroneko twitched. "U-Ufufu…" she chuckled, bringing a hand to her mouth. "You've just said something I cannot overlook. By Meruru… You mean _Stardust Witch Meruru? _That absolute rubbish that only children and NEETs watch?"

"W-What did you just say…?" Kirino took a step back as though she'd just been struck.

"Don't you know that battling magical girls aren't in anymore?" the black-haired girl continued. "Besides, its blasphemy to air a magical girl anime outside of Saturday mornings. And ratings-wise, _that _is the one trying to compete. So, please cease your ignorant remarks."

"Let me teach that self-centered brain of yours how the real world works," Kirino growled. "The show I watch is the favorite and all others are competitors. Besides, from the sound of it, I bet you haven't even _watched _Meruru. How sad. You've missed out on some of the most fluid battle animation ever conceived last season, so don't look down on little kids' anime!"

"O-Oi…" Kyousuke murmured to the other two girls beside him. "Shouldn't we stop them?"

"But it seems they're just now hitting it off," Saori said, hiding a smile behind her WcFlurry.

"What are _you _looking at?" the boy exclaimed incredulously.

"Right at them," the green haired girl replied before gesturing towards the quarreling girls. "Look at how enthusiastically they're speaking to each other compared to earlier."

Kyousuke looked on as the two argued fiercely over which anime was better. "I… I guess so," he sighed. "Still, how can they get so serious, especially after only meeting once?"

"But of course!" Saori grinned. "Tis something they both earnestly love with all their hearts. They couldn't hide it, even if they tried."

Across from him, Blake smiled slightly. "Ruri's always been like that," the girl said softly. "She's never been afraid to speak her mind. Especially when it comes to something she cares about, even if it ended up getting her into trouble… Whereas I…"

"Blake?" Kyousuke turned to her curiously but she merely shook her head.

"It's nothing."

He opened his mouth to inquire further, but was drowned out by Kirino's voice. "Argh, everything you say is such a pain!" his sister growled. "You evil-eyed crazy woman!"

"E-Evil-eyed?" Kuroneko twitched. "C-Crazy woman?"

"How dare you insult Kuroneko-sama?" Mog — who'd been inactive during their conversation — suddenly came to life again and began flailing his staff at Kirino in a threatening manner.

"Ufufu…" the black-haired girl chuckled darkly. "You've finally said something you never should have uttered. Oh, how unfortunate for you. I can no longer control these negative thoughts. Do not blame me for what befalls you."

"Are you an idiot or something?" Kirino snapped. "Aren't you embarrassed to be alive? Go dig yourself a hole and bury yourself in it!"

"Okay," Kyousuke muttered, glancing around as the restaurant's occupants began to openly stare at them. "I think now would be a good time to stop them."

"Agreed," Saori giggled.

* * *

"Oh my god! Is that the limited edition Meruru swimsuit figurine?!"

"D-Do my eyes deceive me? Is that truly the fabled Lucifer x Amon doujin?!"

Kyousuke raised an eyebrow as the two girls grabbed their respective vices and made their way to the cashier, pushing and shoving each other out of the way as they did so. "They just won't quit, will they?" he murmured to Saori who was beside him, browsing a set of _Gundam_ models.

The green-haired girl giggled. "Tis like I said, Kyousuke-shi. It is something they love with all their hearts. This is just how they express it to each other."

"If you say so…" the boy sighed before glancing around. "Hey… Where'd Blake go?"

"I dost believe she went to appraise the literature section over yonder," Saori gestured to the rows of bookshelves across the room.

His curiosity piqued, Kyousuke wandered over towards the indicated section. After a few seconds of looking through the aisles, he found the black-haired Faunus with her nose buried in a small book. "..._Ninjas of Love?_" he read the title aloud, causing the girl to jump in surprise. "Wow… Wasn't expecting you to be into that kind of thing."

Blake turned to him in alarm, her face going flush. "N-No!" she exclaimed. "I wasn't… I was just curious!"

"I'm sure you were," Kyousuke laughed. "So, you're more of the novel type, huh?"

"...Yes…" the black-haired girl nodded, finally regaining her composure. "Reading is one of my favorite pastimes."

"I can tell," he remarked, glancing down at the small pile of books sitting at her feet. "You're buying all of those?" The boy reached down and picked them up. "Hmm. _The Starvation Games_… _The Great Gats V… Animal Ranch… Celsius 154… _Oh! _King of the Rings!_ That's a good one."

"You read?" Blake asked in surprise.

"I dabble," he said. "I mostly just download eBooks on my scroll when I don't have much else to do. Have you read _The Halfling?_"

"...That's the one with the halfling, the dwarves, and the wizard who venture to slay a dragon, right?"

"Yup," the boy nodded. "_King of the Rings_ is a sequel to that."

"Really, now?" she questioned, gazing down at the book with renewed interest. "I wasn't aware of that. I just heard it was a good read, so I decided to pick it up." The Faunus glanced at him curiously. "Anything you'd recommend?"

"Hmm," Kyousuke looked up at the endless rows of literature surrounding him. They were currently in the light novel section, so... "Ah… How about this one?"

Blake pulled out the book he'd gestured to. "_The Garden of Sinners?_" she murmured, looking over the cover-art depicting a black-haired man with prismatic eyes wearing a bright red jacket and wielding a dagger.

"I read it last month while I was grounded," he said before frowning and muttering under his breath. "For something that was entirely Yang's fault… Though I suppose I _was _the one that let her drive..."

"Excuse me?"

"Ah," Kyousuke smiled sheepishly, shaking his head. "It's nothing. Anyway, it's about _Riki Shiogi_, a man with two souls — each fighting for control over his body. It's a good read. I heard they're even making an anime adaptation."

"Interesting…" she murmured. "I'll give it a read."

"Hah!" Kyousuke grinned. "Well, we'd better go find the others. They're probably wondering where we went."

Blake nodded and hefted the small pile into her arms. "I'll go pay for these." As she made her way towards the cash register, Kyousuke went in the opposite direction, towards the store entrance. There, he found Kirino and Saori waiting for them.

His little sister glared at him as he approached. "There you are," she said. "Where have you been?"

"I was talking with Blake," he replied, glaring right back at her. "Not that it's any of your business what I do." The boy glanced around. "Where's Kuroneko?"

"She went to the restroom," Saori said. "Where is Blake-shi?"

"She's paying for her stuff," Kyousuke said, glancing over his shoulder. He frowned, however, when he realized that she was no where to be found. "Huh? She was just there..."

"Maybe she went to the restroom as well?" the green-haired girl offered. With Kuroneko? Why did he have a bad feeling about that? Granted, the two Faunus' relationship seemed just as bad as his and Kirino's — perhaps even _worse_. So, that may have something to do with it. But then again, even if this was the case, their family issues were hardly his business.

Still...

"I'll go check," Kyousuke said.

"You can't go into the women's restroom, you pervert!" Kirino snapped.

"That's not what I meant!" he exclaimed, flushing slightly. Letting out a loud sigh, Kyousuke went back the way he came.

There was no one at the cash register other than a very bored-looking cashier reading a magazine. "Excuse me," the boy spoke up. "A while ago, a black-haired girl paid for some books. Did you see which way she went?"

"That way," the cashier said tonelessly, gesturing towards the rows of bookshelves. She didn't even bother glancing up at him.

"Thanks." Kyousuke nodded at the woman regardless of the fact that she couldn't see him. Turning on his heel, he strode over to the shelves. "Oi, Blake. Are you still looking for more—"

"—re you following me?" Kuroneko's cold voice actually caused him to flinch. He opened his mouth to reply, only to be cut off by another voice.

"I was worried." Blake's voice said defensively.

'_Ah, shit_,' Kyousuke flinched. It appeared that he was correct in his suspicions. _'I probably shouldn't be listening to this.' _He turned and made to leave.

"I can take care of myself," Kuroneko said coolly.

"...I see. Alright then. I can tell I'm not wanted here."

"Running away again? Yes, go slink back to the shadows like a coward." Kyousuke's eyes widened as he froze in place. That had admittedly been a little harsh.

"A coward?" Blake's voice rose.

"Yes, a coward. Tell me, why are you ashamed of what you are?"

"I am not _ashamed_, Ruri!"

"Then why do you wear that bow?" Kuroneko spat. "You're the only member of our family that hides what you are!"

"I just want people to see me for _who _I am, not _what _I am."

"And being Faunus is part of who you are! To ignore it… to hide it… Not only are you lying to everyone around you; you're lying to _yourself!_" Blake didn't say anything. The two were silent for several tense moments. "Forget it," Kuroneko spat. "I don't care anymore."

"Sister…!'

"I'm _not _your sister!" the younger girl hissed. "To reject your heritage… is the same as rejecting yourself. And _us._"

"Ruri…"

"Just… _go._"

"Ruri…!"

"GO!"

Silence fell upon them once more. Finally, Kyousuke heard the sound of rapid footfalls and nearly jumped in shock as Blake ran past him. He watched her go, his brow furrowed. "You know, it's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations," Kuroneko's cool voice spoke up from behind him. The boy flinched and turned to her guiltily.

"Sorry," he murmured, scratching his cheek. "I just…"

"Save it," the girl sighed. The two stood in awkward silence for several moments.

"Hey," Kyousuke murmured after nearly a minute had passed. "You weren't… _serious _about that last bit… were you?"

"..."

"But you're _family!_" he exclaimed, his expression uncomprehending. Sure, Kirino put him through some annoying shit and he wasn't exactly best buds with his father, but he wasn't about to _disown _them.

"Ufufu…" the girl chuckled darkly. "Family…? I am a being of darkness. Petty things such as familial bonds mean nothing to me, mortal. I am sin incarnate, ascended from my dark throne to rule over this realm of light. I have little time or patience for your human emotions."

Kyousuke stared at her, his brow furrowed. Although she spoke in a clear tone, he saw the subtle signs in her posture that indicated distress. Her ears were drooping, nearly laying flat against her skull as her tail flicked in agitation. Her arms clenched tightly around her inactive doll.

And her eyes… They glinted in the overhanging lights, regret shining within their depths. He knew at this point, she was merely attempting to save face. "You know…" he said, a bemused smile making its way onto his face. "You little sister types can be a real pain in the ass. Why do you have to be so prideful? Ugh…"

Kyousuke shook his head as the girl refused to look him in the eye. "Alright. I guess I'll help you out." he said, causing her to glance at him in surprise. "You just hang out with Kirino and Saori. I'll go see if I can find your sister. Though, I suppose she could be anywhere at this point…"

He turned to go, but was halted by a hand grabbing his sleeve.

"Wait…"

Kyousuke turned to see a shopping bag being thrust in his face. Peering into it, he saw a familiar pile of books. Kuroneko was still pointedly looking away from him. Chuckling slightly, he took the proffered bag and pat her on the head. With a small smile on his face, the black-haired boy made his way toward the exit.

'_Now, if I was a distressed Faunus, where would I go?'_

* * *

Kyousuke stepped onto the mulch flooring of a local park playground. He could feel a sense of nostalgia as he took in the sight. This is where he had first met Yang and…

He quickly shook his head. Now wasn't the time for that. He needed to focus on the figure currently huddled underneath the slide. '_Not the first place I would have gone, but at least I found her.'_

"Blake?" Kyousuke called out. The girl didn't respond immediately. With a small sigh, he sat down next to her.

"So, you heard," she murmured.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Sorry about that."

"Ha..." The girl chuckled to herself. "She was right. I _am _a coward." Blake shook her head, a bitter smile on her face. "I'm _always _running. From her. From myself. From the world. Even my _semblance _reflects my cowardice. I leave a clone to take the hit while I run away."

"Then maybe — just this once — you should stop running," Kyousuke said. "Go back to Kuroneko… to Ruri and tell her how you feel. I think you'd be surprised with her response." He handed her the bag filled with books. Blake glanced at the bag, a pensive expression taking shape. Slowly, she reached inside and pulled out the book on top of the pile.

It was the one he'd picked out for her. "_The Garden of Sinners,_" she murmured, a wry smile forming on her face. "You know, the irony is truly remarkable…"

"How do you mean?" Blake didn't answer him. She merely gazed up at the setting sun. It was only after several minutes had passed did she speak up.

"I've committed more sins than I care to count," she said softly. "I've done things that can never be forgiven…" Kyousuke's eyes widened as he glanced at her. She paid him no heed, talking more to herself than to him at this point. "Whether it be on purpose or by accident," the girl continued. "It doesn't change the fact its peoples' lives that I'd ruined…" She shook her head fiercely. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. This doesn't concern you at all…"

"You know," Kyousuke said softly. "I was thinking that perhaps we have more in common than I'd first thought."

Blake turned to him curiously. "How do you mean?"

The black-haired boy smiled sadly as he thought back to his earlier musing upon first setting foot on the playground. The image of three small children playing together surfaced in his mind. "Perhaps it would be easier if I just showed you…"

* * *

The two were silent as Kyousuke led them through the streets of the residential district. Behind them, the sun was setting. Blake judged that they would have about half an hour of daylight left. "What exactly are you showing me?" the girl questioned, glancing down at the bouquet of daisies in her companion's hand. A few minutes ago, Kyousuke had stopped by a local florist and purchased them. He never explained why he'd done so.

"It'll make sense soon enough," the boy said quietly. "We're here…"

Blake glanced up as they finally came to a stop in front of their destination. "...The Vale Cemetery?" she murmured. Kyousuke didn't say anything, merely striding forward once more. Blake followed him, notably subdued. She clutched her bag of books awkwardly as they shuffled forward.

Finally, after several minutes, Kyousuke came to a stop once again. The girl watched as he took a deep breath before kneeling before one grave in particular. "We're more alike than I'd first thought," Kyousuke said softly. "You said that you'd committed sins and ruined lives. This is _my_ sin. This is the life _I_ ruined." Blake placed her shopping bag down and crouched beside him, reading the name engraved upon the headstone.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

**Ｍａｎａｍｉ Ｔａｍｕｒａ**

**_Beloved daughter and friend._**

**安らかに眠れ**

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

"...Who was she?" the girl asked quietly.

"She was…" he paused, his eyes glistening in pain. "The most innocent and loving person you could imagine. She was my best friend…. And I killed her."

"...How?"

Kyousuke let out a dark chuckle. "It happened three years ago," he said. "I was a cocky bastard back then. I thought I could take on the whole world and win. I wanted fame and glory. But Manami was different. She just wanted to live her life and be happy. But I wouldn't have any of that. I thought it was _boring." _He nearly spat this word out. "So, I dragged her on adventure after foolhardy adventure."

The boy let out a heavy sigh. "Long story short: I got in over my head and Manami paid the price for my foolishness." Blake didn't say anything for a while. She did, however, gently place her hand on his shoulder. "In the end, I couldn't even bring back a body for her family to bury," Kyousuke muttered. "They never forgave me for taking her away from them. Not that I can blame them..."

'_How can I?_' he thought scathingly. _'When I can't even forgive myself.'_

"It seems you were right," the Faunus said quietly. "We do have quite a bit in common." She reached down and gently took the flowers from him. "Let's put these in some water for her. Did she like daisies?"

"They were her favorite." The boy nodded.

"Then I'm sure she'd be happy you brought some for her," Blake said before glancing down at the flowers already lining the grave. "Seems someone was here before us, though."

"Yellow lilies?" Kyousuke murmured. "Yang must have been here recently."

The two began busying themselves with arranging the daisies and lilies in an acceptable fashion, neither of them speaking as they did so. After they'd finished, the two silently prayed for the spirit of the deceased girl before taking their leave. They made their way towards the entrance, still maintaining their silence. It was only after several minutes of this did Blake finally speak up.

"Kyousuke," she began. "Do you think… Manami would have forgiven you?"

"As much as I want to say _no_," he sighed, hefting Blake's bag over his shoulder. "I know she would. She was just that kind of person. That's why I take it upon myself to try and atone."

"Atone, huh?" Blake murmured.

Kyousuke shook his head wryly. "Yeah," he said before handing the shopping bag over to her. "_Atone_." The boy repeated, staring her in the eye meaningfully.

Blake stared back for several minutes before nodding. "I'll try and talk to her."

"_Do or do not_," Kyousuke said in a nasally voice. "_There is no try._" The two were silent for several moments before breaking into a fit of laughter, though it was more a soft chuckle on Blake's part.

"There you are," a cold, masculine voice called out. "I've been searching the entire city. You realize we have an assignment, right? What are you doing clowning around here?" The two teenagers turned in surprise to see a tall, red-haired man glaring at them coolly. Or, at least, Kyousuke assumed he was glaring. He couldn't really tell with the mask the man had on. The boy noticed a pair of bull-like horns protruding from the man's hair. A Faunus.

"...Friend of yours?" Kyousuke asked, turning towards Blake, who had frozen the moment she'd laid eyes on the man.

"...Yes," she said softly. The girl turned back towards her companion. "Listen... With everything that's happened today, I completely forgot that I had… prior engagements." Blake held out her book bag. "I won't be able to take this with me. Could you… hold onto it for me?"

"...I suppose," Kyousuke said, glancing at the man before taking the proffered bag.

"Thank you," she said, smiling. "I'll come back for it one day. I promise."

"You'd better have made up with your sister when you do," he chuckled. Blake just nodded, smiling mysteriously before walking away. The red-haired man remained, staring at Kyousuke for several moments before nodding stiffly.

"Sorry," he said gruffly. "But we've got a train to catch."

"No problem," Kyousuke nodded in return. He watched as the two Faunus disappeared into the evening shadows before shaking his head. "What a day…" he murmured before slinging Blake's bag over his shoulder and setting off towards his house.

* * *

"So, what was that back there?" the red-haired Faunus asked his partner as they entered a sleek black car.

"What was _what_, Adam?" Blake asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You know what I'm talking about!" Adam snapped. "The human. You shouldn't be associating with them."

"Kind of hard, considering they make up more than eighty percent of the world's population," the girl said dryly.

"What's gotten into you?" the man complained. "You're not normally this mouthy, Blake."

"Maybe I've just had a change of perspective," she muttered, staring out the window and at the stars just beginning to appear in the sky.

'_...Atone, huh?'_

* * *

"I'm home," Kyousuke called out, stepping into the strangely silent house. "Hello? Anyone here? Mom? Yang? Weiss? Anybody?" There was no answer. Which was odd, considering the house was fully lit and everyone's shoes were lined up at the doorway. Kyousuke kicked his boots off and made his way towards the living room.

"Hello?" he called out, throwing the door open. "Anyone h—"

"Welcome home, Master!" a chorus of voices chimed. Kyousuke froze in place as he took in the incredulous sight before him. Yang, Weiss, and Ruby were all lined up; each one sporting their own variation of a maid costume.

"Ah, Kyousuke!" Yoshino smiled from the couch. "The girls have been waiting all day for you!"

"Quick, Ice Queen!" Yang hissed. "Like we practiced."

"Why must I do something so degrading?" the white-haired girl complained. "To think. _Me,_ Weiss Schnee _—_ member of the distinguished Schnee family — wearing a _servant's_ dress!"

"Just do it!" the blonde growled at her.

"Ugh…" Weiss grumbled before turning to Kyousuke, a furious blush on her face. "W-Welcome back, Master. Would you like some dinner…?"

"Or would you like a bath?" Ruby chimed in.

"Or…" Yang grinned. "Would you like…

"**Us...?**" the three finished in unison. Kyousuke merely stood frozen in the doorway, his mouth doing a very good impression of a fish.

"Oh, my," he vaguely heard his mother pipe in. "It looks like you broke him."

* * *

**A/N: It's finally done! I have no idea why I struggled with this chapter so much. I'd been planning it practically from the start. But the further I wrote, the more it seemed to fall apart.**

**So, yeah. Kuroneko, Saori and Blake have finally made their appearance. I hope they were in character. At least for the most part.**

**I made Blake and Ruri siblings. It just made sense to me. Hope it doesn't turn too many of you off.**

**...Yeah. Kuroneko can make minions. Though she's limited to one at a time for the time being and the personality will always be the same. And, yes. Mog is a Moogle. **

**If you don't know what that is, look it up or just go check out my site. He'll be under 'weapons'. I'll hopefully have it up by the time I upload this chapter. I'll have pictures of the girls in their maid outfits up too.**

**Still a few weeks left before the gang heads out to Beacon. I wonder who else Kyo will run into. Plus there's still Svernare's birthday party he needs to attend. **

**Ah, crap. There's a lot I need to write before the real fun starts. Oh, well.**

**Anyway, I've rambled on for long enough.**

**Happy 2015!**

**Your King**


	6. The Prince and the Pauper

**A/N: I realize that I'm VERY late to the party, but I still felt obligated to play my part in "creating something". This chapter is dedicated to Monty Oum. May you rest in peace, good sir.**

* * *

"_Early this morning, a Schnee Company freight train was hijacked near Forever Fall. By the time authorities located the stolen half of the train, millions of lien in Dust and robotics had already been stolen."_

Kyousuke frowned as he watched the news report. He vaguely registered Yang talking to Ruby from somewhere in the kitchen, but he tuned them out.

"_Evidence at the crime scene suggests that the individuals responsible were a small, elite team that utilized both melee and ranged tactics. The culprits — as of now — remain unidentified. However, both the police and military suspect this to be the work of the White Fang, who notoriously hold the Atlesian company in contempt."_

"Well, shit." Kyousuke sighed, tossing the television remote aside and sinking further into the couch. He'd had a sneaking suspicion that something bad had happened, but he'd had no idea it had been _this _bad. Early this morning, his mother had taken off without a word; a frantic look on her face being his only clue to the situation at hand.

Likewise, Weiss had been acting strangely all day. She'd holed herself up in her room, only coming down for meals and even then, she ate quickly and kept to herself. The heiress had also steadfastly refused to say what was wrong, regardless of how much they prodded her. But even then, the black-haired teen simply figured that she needed space. The date of her father's birthday gala was fast approaching, after all. She likely wanted to spend what time she could practicing for her performance.

It was only after she had politely thanked _Yang _of all people for making lunch did he finally realize that something was seriously amiss. Kyousuke had tried calling his mother for information, seeing as he wouldn't be getting any answers from Weiss. But Yoshino's line had been busy all day so he hadn't been able to contact her. It was only after getting ahold of her secretary, Rachel, (after five attempts, mind you) did he finally get a hint. _"Turn on the news," _the mousy-haired secretary told him. And from there, it all went downhill.

As soon as he saw the headline 'White Fang Strikes Again?' a feeling of dread settled in the pit of his stomach. It was no secret that the White Fang viewed the Schnee Company with contempt and _that _was putting it mildly. Compound that with the fact that he still vividly remembered spending the day with a guilt-ridden Faunus who'd taken her leave with another Faunus whose last words to him had been, '_Sorry, but we've got a train to catch.'_ and Kyousuke found his emotions teetering precariously between disappointment and guilt.

It was only the news anchor's parting remarks that kept him from making any rash decisions. _"Thankfully, no one was injured in the hijacking and minimal damage was caused to the train itself."_

"Damn it, Blake…" the boy muttered.

"Hmm?" Yang's voice startled him out of his musing. "Blake? Who's that?"

"It…" Kyousuke sighed. "It's nothing."

"Sure doesn't sound like nothing," the blonde said plainly before striding over and taking a glance at the headline herself. "Oh, wow. No wonder Ice Queen's been looking like someone spat in her afternoon tea."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Have you seen her lately?"

"Nope," Yang shook her head. "She went up to her room right after lunch. Haven't seen her since."

Kyousuke frowned. He could understand that she would be upset by something like this, but this was admittedly out of character. This was the _White Fang_. The boy would have expected her to be enraged about yet another attack on the company, not subdued.

"I should try to talk to her," the black-haired teen muttered.

"Yeah, good luck with that," Yang snorted. "Ruby's been trying to coax her out for over an hour now. Hell, even your sister's tried a few times." Even _Kirino _had been trying to help?

"...This is even worse than I thought..." Kyousuke murmured, his concern immediately skyrocketing. He quickly stood and made his way towards the stairs, Yang just a step behind him. As the two climbed upwards, he could hear Ruby speaking softly.

"Weiss?" the redhead called. "It'll be dinner soon. You should come out. Everyone's worried."

"Stop brooding already, Ice Queen!" Kirino's voice barked. "This is getting real old, real fast."

"_Kirino!_"

"What? It's true!"

"Girls, I don't think this is helping," Kyousuke said dryly as he and Yang rounded the corner and came to a stop just behind the two younger girls. Their sisters squeaked at the sudden proximity of his voice.

"B-Bro! Sis!" Ruby exclaimed as they spun around to face him. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," Yang said, crossing her arms. "Still no luck?"

The redhead shook her head. "No," she muttered, glancing at the door sadly. "Not for lack of trying, though."

"Who knew Ice Queen could be so damn stubborn?" Kirino grumbled.

"Maybe it would help if you didn't call her that every thirty seconds," Ruby said, sending the taller girl a cross look.

Kyousuke ignored their argument, instead focusing his attention on the door in front of him. Yang noticed his attentive stare and walked over. "Why don't we just force our way in?" Her question drew the younger girls' attention.

"Kirino already tried that," Ruby admitted.

"She pushed something in front of the door, so we can't get in," the other girl explained, crossing her arms.

"Hmm..." The male murmured before prying his gaze from the door and turning to face them. "I'm gonna try and talk to her."

"Yeah, that's kinda why we came up here, Kyo," Yang said, rolling her eyes.

"Alone." Kyousuke stressed. This caused all three girls to pause.

"Ahaha!" The blonde chuckled. "Good one, Kyo. You, alone with Ice Queen. In her room. Ha!"

"I'm being serious, Yang." The boy sighed. "She's obviously feeling defensive with you three nipping at her heels like this. I need to try to make her feel comfortable enough to talk to me."

"I have a better idea." His childhood friend said, stepping towards the door and cracking her knuckles.

"No," Kyousuke immediately snapped. "I don't want a repeat of the Collapsing Wall Incident."

"Oh, come on! That only happened _once!_"

"The fact that it happened at all is what worries me!" Kyousuke countered. "My dad had half a mind to arrest you for property damage! Just trust me on this, Yang."

"But…" Whatever argument Yang was about to retort with died in her throat as she looked into his eyes. "...You're serious, aren't you?" She sighed.

"Fine."

"Eh?" Ruby exclaimed, glancing at her sister in shock as she grabbed her and Kirino by the shoulders to lead them back downstairs. "You're giving up? Just like that? Who are you and what have you done with Yang?"

"I know better than to try to dissuade Kyo when he's got that look in his eye," the blonde girl said, glancing over her shoulder at Kyousuke, who'd turned his attention to the door once more.

'_A look I haven't seen in years,' _Yang thought mildly to herself. '_One I've been waiting a long time to see again.' _So, she would allow a small concession just this once; even if it was to _Weiss_, of all people. '_Enjoy this while it lasts. There's no way I'm losing to __**you**__, Ice Queen.'_

* * *

Kyousuke watched them go. Only when they rounded the corner did he turn back to the Schnee heiress's door with a sigh. "They're gone, Weiss," the teen said, crossing his arms. He heard the sound of shuffling from the other side of the door. A moment later it creaked open and a single, icy-blue eye peered through the opening. She glanced around for a moment before sighing and opening the door wider.

"Thank God," the girl murmured. "I would have gone ballistic if I heard that girl's voice one more time."

"They're just trying to help," Kyousuke said as he stepped inside. "You've been holed up in here all day. Hell, even Kirino was worried; in her own strange, roundabout way."

He took the opportunity to look around. This was the first time he'd been inside the room since the heiress had moved in. He found that quite a bit had changed. Yang's belongings had all been moved out; namely, the boy band posters lining the walls had been replaced by classical pieces of art and sitting in the far corner was a large pile of suitcases.

"I just want to be left _alone_," Weiss sighed, shutting the door and striding over to the bed. "My father's birthday is a little more than a week away. I don't have time for all these distractions."

"You could have just told them that," he said. "Instead of acting all cold and secretive."

"Well frankly, it's none of their business," the heiress retorted, an annoyed scowl on her face.

"If you say so," the black-haired teen sighed. He walked over and picked up one of the music sheets that was currently spread across the mattress. It appeared she'd made copies. "So, this is what you've been doing? And here I was thinking it had to do with the incident this morning."

"So, you heard about that, huh?" The girl scowled. "Believe me; it played a large part, just not directly."

"How do you mean?"

"I caught wind of it over our network," Weiss sighed. "And checked in with my father early this morning. He was… My father was _furious_. He ended up ranting to me for well over an hour."

"Ouch." Kyousuke winced sympathetically.

"This isn't the first time something like this has happened," the white-haired princess said, glowering out the window. "But this is easily the biggest incident in years. And for it to happen so close to his birthday…"

The boy flinched at the venom in Weiss' voice; feelings of guilt beginning to resurface in the back of his mind.

"There were only _two _of them, you know," the girl continued darkly. "Security footage was admittedly blurry and my father covered it up well enough, but the fact remains that _two _individuals faced an entire squad of my father's finest security drones and _still _managed to get away with millions of lien in Dust and weaponry. It was _beyond _humiliating. For my father; for _all _of us."

"...So, how does that translate into practicing your performance?" Kyousuke asked, desperately wanting to change the subject.

"Because that's all I _can _do," Weiss sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose wearily. "I don't know where the White Fang is or what they're planning. And even if I did, what could I possibly do? I couldn't even take on a training drone by myself. What could I possibly do against a band of terrorists?"

"..."

The girl sighed again and shook her head tiredly. "That's why… my mother's song… my father's gala… Everything has to be perfect. Because that's all I can do for him."

"...I suppose you're right," he murmured. "That is all _we _can do for him."

The white-haired girl turned to him in surprise. "Pardon?"

"Weiss," Kyousuke said, giving her a meaningful stare. "You keep saying 'I'. '**I **can't do it.', '**I** couldn't beat the training droid.', 'That's all **I** can do for him.'. But you forget that you're not alone. _Everyone _was worried about you today; even Yang and Kirino… and _me_. I'm right here beside you and I'll do anything I can to help, Weiss."

The heiress simply stared at him for several moments, her mouth agape. Finally, after several moments of bewildered silence, she spoke. "...Why?"

"We're friends, aren't we?" he smiled.

Weiss stared at him for a while longer before returning the gesture. "I suppose we are, aren't we?"

"Alright. Now, enough of this mushy business." Kyousuke chuckled before glancing down at the music sheets once again. "What were you working on before I came in?"

The girl nodded and pointed out a particular section near the end of the piece. "Right here," she said. "It's the highlight of the entire song."

Kyousuke took a good look and hummed thoughtfully. "The crescendo?" he questioned, reaching over towards Weiss's nightstand, upon which a familiar harmonica lay. "Well, let's hear it."

"Alright, then." Weiss cleared her throat. "Give me a _C_." Kyousuke blew into the small instrument and the white-haired girl began to sing.

* * *

Yang hummed to herself as she and Ruby worked on dinner. Kirino was currently in the dining room setting the table since the two siblings were the designated cooks whenever Mrs. Kousaka was out of the house. This was mainly because Kyousuke and his little sister had the inexplicable ability to burn water. Surprisingly enough however, Weiss was also a fairly competent chef, but always complained about having to do so; often citing that such activities were beneath her.

The blonde had just begun dicing the vegetables when her sister spoke up. "Yang, do you think Kyousuke got Weiss to talk to him?"

"Come on," the buxom girl scoffed. "It's Kyo we're talking about, Sis. If he really puts his mind to it, there's nothing he _can't_ do." Well, besides cooking something edible that is.

"I know, but still…"

"Well," Yang muttered with a small frown, turning to gaze up at the ceiling. "Now that you mention it, he _has _been at it for a while..."

* * *

"That was fantastic," Kyousuke praised.

"From a technical standpoint, perhaps," Weiss sighed as frustration began seeping into her voice. "But like I said, this is the highlight of the entire song. A crescendo, both dynamically and emotionally. It's here that all of my mother's feelings come together."

"And you want to emulate your mother's emotions," the boy surmised.

"Precisely," the girl nodded. "If I'm unable to project her emotions through this song, then the entire thing will be pointless; nothing but empty words."

"And the problem is…?"

"Well, I - er," Weiss coughed slightly, her face growing rosy. "I've never been in love before." The two stared at each other for a moment before quickly glancing away, their faces flushing slightly.

"I-I see," he mumbled, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "That _is _a problem." The girl simply nodded, still the two still not making eye contact. However, in doing so, Kyousuke's eyes found Yuki's box sitting atop the nightstand. "Wait a moment…"

Weiss looked up as he reached over and took hold of the box. Pulling it towards them, he opened it to reveal all the journals still sitting within. "What are you doing?"

"If we can't rely on your own experiences, why not take a peek at your mother's?" The boy smiled, waving one of the small books slightly. "I've been meaning to help you start translating them anyway."

Realization dawned in the heiress' eyes. "We can see their relationship through her eyes," the girl exclaimed, a bright smile making its way onto her face.

"Exactly," Kyousuke grinned. "Help me find one dated on the same year she met your father." Weiss wasted no time diving into the small pile, her fingers furiously leafing through the pages as she glanced at each date. The black-haired teen was about to join her when his scroll let out a series of noises. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his iScroll 6 to see a message from Yang.

"_Dinner'll be in about an hour. Have you broken through Ice Queen's thick skull yet?"_

Smiling bemusedly, Kyousuke began formulating a reply. He paused however, upon hearing the sound of Weiss' leafing stop and glanced up to see the girl glaring at him heatedly; or rather, at the device in his hand.

"...Something wrong?" he questioned.

"Your scroll," the girl said irritably. "It's Makishima brand. Why aren't you using a Schnee scroll?"

"Ah..." Kyousuke winced slightly.

Makishima Robotics was a group that had arisen about twenty years ago. It had taken the world by storm and was a major competitor to the Schnee Company. It was no surprise that she found it odd that he — the son of a prominent Schnee executive — was using a competitor's product.

But the Schnee Company had arrived late to the mobile market and it was no secret that Makishima scrolls were superior by far.

"If it makes you feel any better," he offered weakly. "My PC is Schnee brand."

"Ugh, whatever," Weiss muttered, massaging her temples.

"A-Anyway, Yang says dinner should be ready in about an hour." The boy said quickly, wanting to get back on track. "That should give us plenty of time to start going through your mom's journals. Have you found a match yet?"

"I did," the heiress nodded, handing the book over to him. "This one is dated on the year they met. It starts mid-June."

"Alright then, let's take a look," Kyousuke murmured, flipping the journal open. Weiss leaned over his shoulder to look down at the script written on the page. "Hmm… Interesting…"

"What is it?"

"Well," he said, pointing out one of the characters. "See this? It's the kanji for father. _Chichi_. The kanji after it means higher or above. And when you put them together, it roughly translates to 'Honored Father' — _Chichi-ue_. It's not very common wording and is extremely respectful. As a matter of fact, it's used almost exclusively by the upper class."

"Really?" Weiss' eyebrows rose in surprise.

"She does the same thing with her mother," Kyousuke continued, pointing out the appropriate kanji. "_Haha-ue. _Honored Mother. To tell you the truth, a lot of the grammar and kanji she's using indicates a very privileged upbringing."

"But that doesn't make any sense," the heiress said with a frown. "My mother was practically a pauper when she met my father. She never even mentioned having family let alone wealthy ones."

"Perhaps for good reason," the boy muttered, his eyes scanning the page with a deep frown forming on his face. "It says here that she was... disowned."

"_WHAT?_" Weiss demanded hotly. "What do you mean _'disowned'_?"

"Exactly what I said," Kyousuke frowned, skimming through several passages. It was one of the perks of the Japanese language. He merely had to glance at the kanji to understand exactly what Yuki was saying. "Her parents didn't approve of her dream to become a singer. When she refused to go to college and inherit the family business, they were furious. They argued for days on end until her father finally had enough. He called her a failure and declared that she was no daughter of his."

"That — I..." The white-haired girl had no words as she stared at the book in his hands. "I had no idea…"

"She talks about how she bounced around from place to place — eating and taking shelter where she could." Kyousuke murmured, flipping through the pages. "She talks about her struggles both financially and emotionally. She… She had several emotional breakdowns during all this."

That much was obvious, even to Weiss. Some of the pages they looked through were nearly illegible. Feeling a tightness forming in her chest, the white-haired girl looked down at the tearstained page and felt the corners of her own eyes beginning to sting.

Kyousuke placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling at her sadly. "But she never gave up," he said, glancing back down at the journal. "No matter what happened, she refused to abandon her dream. After every rejection, she got back up and tried again."

Weiss returned the smile weakly. Neither of them said anything for a while and merely sat together, quietly venerating the strength of the deceased woman. To have overcome such adversity was no small feat. After several minutes of silence, Kyousuke began skimming through the pages once more.

"Eventually, she found a place that would hire her," he said. "It was a small bar — newly opened. And it says that around the same time, she met a young aspiring scientist named Yoshino."

"Your mother," Weiss acknowledged with a small smile.

"Ha!" Kyousuke chuckled. "It seems they became fast friends. She often refers to my mother as _Yoshinon_ — a kind of cutesy pet name. Quite a surprise, actually; a real shift from her formal way of writing."

"Well, your mother seems to have that kind of effect on people," the girl said wryly. "Even my father is more relaxed around her than I've ever seen before."

"That's Mom for you." He grinned sheepishly. "Anyway, this part here should interest you."

Weiss leaned over his shoulder, despite being unable to read the script and was surprised to see a word written in the English alphabet. "My father's name…?"

"Yup," Kyousuke nodded, clearing his throat. "This'll be a little rough, but… _Yoshinon came to see me again today…_"

_...and she brought a man with her. He seemed very shy around me. It was quite adorable! Yoshinon said his name was… I am not even going to attempt to pronounce it, but it is spelled SVERNARE. He has hair the color of snow and the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen._

"My father? Shy?" The heiress smirked. "I find that hard to believe."

"Yeah, no kidding," Kyousuke muttered. "Your old man's the one of the pushiest people I've ever met. Well, besides _Yang_, that is…" He winced at Weiss smacked him on the shoulder.

"Well, it seems they both had a good first impression, at least," the girl said with a small smile.

"Perhaps, but the next few impressions?" the black-haired teen smirked. "Not so much."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems your father ended up spilling his drink all over her dress," Kyousuke chuckled as he scanned the page.

"You're _kidding_." The mortified look on Weiss' face just caused him to laugh even harder.

"Haha! The look on your face matches your mom's description of your old man's," the boy exclaimed, wiping a tear from his eye and beginning to read aloud once more.

_Svernare-san was mortified by the mishap. I told him it was no fault of his, but he kept insisting that he purchase me a new dress. No matter how many times I attempted to brush it off, he vehemently disagreed. Honestly! This man is motivated by the strangest of things. I suppose it really is true that it is the quiet ones you must watch out for._

_..._

_It has been a few days since Svernare-san spilled his drink on my dress and after much prodding, he finally convinced me to accept his offer. To my shock however, he ended up buying me a gorgeous dress that was easily more expensive than the entirety of my wardrobe combined. I demanded that he return it or at least allow me to compensate him for half of its cost, but he brushed my concerns aside. He_

There was a noticeable break in the flow of writing that indicated she had paused to gather her thoughts before continuing on.

_He said it fit well with someone as beautiful as me. I must say, he can be quite charming when he doesn't allow his shyness to get in the way. Why, I nearly swooned! Yoshinon is lucky to have him._

"Wait, what?" Weiss broke in, a startled look on her face.

"Huh…" Kyousuke muttered, frowning slightly. "It seems your mother thought my mom was dating your old man."

"That's ridiculous, why would he ever… _not _date someone as wonderful as your mother?"

"Nice save," the boy snorted.

"Forgive me if I find the thought of our parents in _that _kind of relationship disturbing," Weiss said with a wry smile.

"Forgiven." Kyousuke shuddered. "Anyway, as their relationship progressed, she starts talking about the guilt of falling in love with her friend's lover."

"Oh, boy." The heiress sighed embarrassedly, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "This is starting to sound like an afternoon drama."

"You're tellin' me." The boy grunted. "Thankfully, it gets resolved; though in a rather embarrassing fashion…"

_Oh, I feel like such a fool! _

_I walked in on Yoshinon being intimate with a man I'd never met before and nearly shouted myself hoarse calling her all sorts of nasty things before she finally managed to calm me down. She was surprisingly composed as she explained that the man's name was Kousaka-san and that she was __**not**__ romantically involved with Svernare._

_I had never been so embarrassed in my life! But it was worth it. Perhaps now I actually stand a chance._

"Honestly…" Weiss muttered, flushing slightly. "I had no idea my mother was so tactless." Kyousuke merely hummed in response. The white-haired girl watched as he read through the words on the page with a strange intensity.

"Hey, Weiss?" he said after a while. "I think this is what we've been looking for." The heiress immediately perked up and leaned over his shoulder once more, gazing down at the journal in his lap. Clearing his throat, Kyousuke began to read aloud.

_He came to watch me again tonight. He sat by himself in the far corner. There is little I can do to deny it anymore. I once told myself I would never give up my dream and that remains true... _

_But people change and their dreams along with them. I want nothing more than for him to take me in his arms and hold me through the night. __The way he makes me feel whenever our eyes meet... I feel like I am the only person in the world. His shy smile causes my heart to erupt in flames. I wore the dress he bought me tonight. But does he see me for who I am? Or just what I do?_

_How can I let him know? Our eyes locked once again and I gently reached out to him. His eyes softened and he sent me another of his beautiful smiles. Perhaps one day, he'll understand that I am more than a dress and a voice._

"I... That…" Weiss whispered. "That was beautiful."

"It was," Kyousuke muttered, though a slightly frustrated frown made its way onto his face. "But it's difficult to convey her feelings in English. The way she wrote it is very poetic and doesn't translate very well. I'm sorry."

"No." The girl shook her head, dabbing her eyes with a small handkerchief. "I'm glad you did. Thank you for this. For everything."

"You're welcome," he mumbled. "So, did that help at all?"

"Yes," Weiss nodded, still choked up a bit. "That was… exactly what I needed. That last bit especially."

"Good. I-"

"Hey, Ice Queen!" Kirino's voice called from the other side of the door, causing both teens to jump. "Is my pervert brother still in there? Blondie and Red say that dinner's ready, so hurry it up!"

"That little…! We're busy in here-" The heiress began, but was cut off by the sound of her own stomach letting out a loud rumble. Her face immediately flushing red, she placed one hand over her mouth and the other on her stomach.

Kyousuke just laughed. "Well, I think that answers for the both of us," he said with a grin. "Come on, we can continue this some other time."

Nodding, she began to gather the journals piled on her bed and placed them back in Yuki's box. Kyousuke helped by gathering the music sheets spread across the mattress. However, as he did so, he came across one that was completely different from the others.

"Huh?" he questioned, picking the piece up. "What's this…? _Mirror, Mirror?_" Immediately, Weiss froze. It lasted only a moment before she sprung into action, snatching the paper from his hand.

"You can't look at that!" she said hastily.

"Is that one of yours?" Kyousuke asked. "I remember you saying that you planned on doing an original song. Was that it?"

"Y-Yes," Weiss coughed, hiding the sheet behind her back. "I was preparing it, just in case I was unable to adapt to my mother's song."

"Ah." He nodded, a small smile on his face. "Well, I'd love to hear it some time."

The white-haired girl stared at him for several moments. Slowly, she pulled the music sheet out once more. She gazed down at it for a moment before a look of resolution crossed her face. The girl raised the sheet to eye level and — to Kyousuke's shock — promptly tore it to shreds.

"Hey!" the boy exclaimed. "What was that for?"

"You remember what I told you?" Weiss asked as she dumped the ruined paper into a trash can. "That without emotion, a song becomes pointless, empty words?"

"Yeah," Kyousuke nodded, still dumbfounded by her actions. "But what does that have to do with this? I'm sure you worked hard on that song."

"Let's just say I'm never going to be able to sing it with its original emotional intent." The girl smiled as she grabbed him by the arm and began leading him out the door.

'_After all, I can't exactly call myself lonely anymore, can I?'_

* * *

Later that evening, Kyousuke found himself stomping into his room and unceremoniously flopping onto his bed. Yang and Kirino had been relentless in probing him for information on what had occurred in Weiss' room. No matter how many times he denied all of the explicit situations they kept accusing him of, they simply did not believe him; citing Weiss' unusually contented expression as evidence.

Sighing deeply, he hugged his body pillow close in an attempt to comfort himself. Thankfully, they had let him be after dinner, which gave him to opportunity to quietly slip away. _'Man, this pillow is comfortable, I-_" Kyousuke froze as a feeling of dreadful realization dawned on him.

He did not own a body pillow.

"_Nya_," the pillow mumbled sleepily. Despite his instincts demanding that he shriek like a prepubescent school girl, he refrained from doing so. Instead, he restricted himself to squeaking and tumbling off his bed with a loud _thump_. Scrambling towards his bedside lamp, he flicked the lights on and stared in shock at the person just now beginning to wake.

"What the hell?!" he nearly roared. "_BLAKE?!_"

The Faunus girl looked up at him through bleary eyes. "Hmm? You're back?" she mumbled sleepily. A mere moment later, however, she realized what had just happened and leapt off the bed as though it was scalding water. "Y-You're back! I'm sorry! It's just, I've been waiting for hours and it looked comfortable, so…"

"What do you mean you've been waiting for hours?" Kyousuke demanded, glaring at her heatedly. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing here? You've got a lot of nerve to show up after this morning's little _incident_."

Blake flinched and had her ears been visible, he was sure they would be flat against her skull by now. "I know that," she murmured. "I know I said I'd atone, but-"

"But what? You thought _'to hell with that'_ and decided to raid a Schnee freight train?" he ranted. "You do realize who my mother is, don't you? Our surname isn't exactly common."

"I _know _that!" Blake whispered furiously. "Please, just _listen _to me!" Kyousuke glared at her for several moments. The Faunus stared back at him, her eyes pleading with him to hear her out.

Finally, he took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, fine."

"Thank you," Blake murmured before clearing her throat. "I understand that after… this morning, my word isn't exactly the most trustworthy to you. But please believe me when I say that I'm done with them — with _everything._"

"Done?" Kyousuke raised an eyebrow at him. "I imagine the White Fang isn't exactly going to let you just walk away."

"No." The girl shook her head, a tight smile on her face. "They won't; which is why I'm trying to lay low for the moment."

"And you thought that here would be a good place to hide?" Kyousuke asked incredulously. "How do you even know where I live?"

"I overheard Ruri exchanging contact information with your sister and Saori," Blake said before shaking her head. "But that's not why I came here."

"Then why?"

She didn't answer right away, but the anxiousness in her eyes gave him plenty of cause for concern. Finally, after several moments, she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "The White Fang, they… they're planning something," she said quietly. "Something _big_. My partner, or rather, _former _partner was ranting about it last night."

"Something big?" Kyousuke murmured, his brow furrowing slightly. "Something bigger than stealing millions of lien worth of Dust and weaponry? I find that hard to believe."

"He said it should take place within the next few weeks," Blake offered. "Does that help at all?"

"Within the next few weeks?" He repeated with a frown. "But the only thing happening is— Oh, God."

"What? What's wrong?" The black-haired girl grew concerned as Kyousuke turned pale as a ghost. "What's happening?"

"I-It's Svernare Schnee's birthday in less than two weeks," the boy whispered. "And what could possibly be bigger than—"

"An attempt on the president of the Schnee Company's life." Blake paled as well. "Even if they are unsuccessful, the fact that there was an attempt at all would cause uproar among the public."

"God damnit!" Kyousuke snarled, kicking his nightstand and causing it to shudder violently from the impact. "That was supposed to be their special night. Those bastards! _Why?!_"

"We can still stop them," Blake whispered urgently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We know what they're planning; I know their tactics. We have the advantage."

"God damnit...!" The boy cursed once more. He stood there, breathing heavily for several moments more before taking a deep, calming breath and nodding. "Alright. You have any ideas?"

"A few," the Faunus nodded. "With the President himself being there, security is bound to be tighter than they have ever encountered before. So, they'll likely send a large force to cause a disruption and distract the guards before sending a small, elite team to break through to the President."

"Like the '_small, elite team_' that raided the train this morning?"

Blake flinched, but nodded. "...Yes," she muttered. "The larger force will likely be nothing but fresh recruits, so the elites are the ones we'll have to worry about."

"I should just tell the President everything you just told me," Kyousuke growled. "There's no reason to gamble with his life."

"You can't!" Blake exclaimed.

"And just why the hell not?" he demanded. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't."

"If you tell him, he'll want to know where you got the information," the girl said, staring at him imploringly. "I hold no illusions about how he must feel about members of the White Fang — former or otherwise." Blake shook her head. "_Please._ I don't want to be associated with them and what they do; not any more. I don't want to be seen as a member of the White Fang or as just a Faunus. I just want to be a normal person."

Kyousuke froze at this. Their eyes met, causing him to grimace at the pleading look in her eyes. Honestly, why did he have to be such a goddamn softie? With a sigh, he opened his mouth to reply when a soft knock at the door caused both teens to jump in shock. "Excuse me, Kyousuke?" Weiss' voice called. "May I speak to you?"

Blake glanced at him with a panicked look on her face, which was mirrored by Kyousuke. "J-Just a second!" he called before turning to the girl next to him. "C-Closet!" he hissed. She nodded and dove towards it. It was only after the closet gently clicked shut did he turn his attention to his bedroom door. Desperately attempting to collect himself, the teen took a deep breath before opening the door. "H-Hey, Weiss," he said with a tight smile.

"Are you okay?" The white-haired girl raised an eyebrow at him. "You seem flushed."

"Ah, just doing some exercises before bed." Kyousuke chuckled nervously. "A-Anyway, did you need something?"

"I just wanted to thank you again," Weiss smiled. "Thanks to you, my father's gift should be absolutely perfect."

The boy noticeably flinched, feelings of guilt gnawing at his conscience. He should tell her. Of all people, Weiss deserved to know. "Weiss, I—" Suddenly, Blake's pleading eyes surfaced in the forefront of his mind. _'I just want to be a normal person.'_

Goddamn it.

"I...I'm glad I could help," he said tiredly. The girl smiled at him again before nodding and leaving him with a quiet, "Goodnight."

Kyousuke watched her go for a moment before sighing and shutting the door. He winced, however, when he heard the sound of something collapsing in his closet. Striding over towards it, he pulled the door open to see a disheveled Blake sitting amid a pile of clothes and books.

"Ow…" the Faunus mumbled as he gently pulled her out. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He sighed as he crouched down and began organizing the books. They were, ironically, the same ones she'd asked him to hold onto.

"That was Weiss Schnee," Blake noted as she dusted herself off. "Heiress to the Schnee Company."

"Yeah," Kyousuke muttered. "She's been staying here for a while now."

"Thank you for not saying anything to her," she said softly.

"Don't." He grunted, shoving the pile of books back into the shopping bag they'd fallen out of. "I was two seconds away from spilling everything."

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't," the black-haired boy said with a deep sigh. He stood and faced her, staring her right in the eye. "I'm trusting you, Blake. _Please_. Don't make me regret it."

Blake's eyes widened for a moment before a smile took shape on her face. "You won't; I promise," she said, bowing deeply. "Thank you."

"We'll see," Kyousuke sighed once more. "Well—"

"Kyo!" Yang shouted as she slammed the door open. "I just saw Ice Queen come out of here! You weren't doing… anything… naughty…?" The blonde girl's jaw fell open as the two teens stared at her in mounting horror.

"Y-Yang, I—"

"W-WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Yang roared, pointing at Blake, who was growing paler by the second. The sound of Yang's voice caused the rest of the house's occupants to come rushing over.

"Just what is going on in here?" Weiss grumbled as she and Ruby forced their way past the stunned blonde. The heiress froze however, upon catching sight of the Faunus. "W-Who is _this?!_" She snarled, glaring at Kyousuke venomously. "Exercises, huh?"

"Th-There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for this!" the boy cried, flailing his arms desperately. "You see—"

"Why are you people being so noisy?!" another voice demanded. Kyousuke immediately paled as Kirino stepped into the crowded room. She glared at all the room's occupants before her eyes landed on Blake. "Ah! Y-You!" she cried out, pointing at the girl accusingly. "You're the girl that was molesting my brother yesterday!"

'_Oh, God.'_ Kyousuke thought as the room descended into chaos.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, boy. Things are really starting to heat up. I don't even know what's happening anymore! **

**Anyway, we get some background on Yuki but I doubt many of you care about my OCs, so I won't linger on it for long. **

**There was also some information on another OreImo character in this chapter if you were savvy enough to catch it.**

**Blake reappears! Weren't expecting that so soon, were you? And she brings with her information on the White Fang. That was some pretty heavy stuff, so I thought I should end it on a light note.**

**Also, it seems a reader commissioned a fan art of Blake and Kuroneko. Just wanna give a shout out. That was pretty cool. If you wanna see it, I have a link on my site. (P.S. if either the commissioner or artist does not wish me to feature it on my site, please let me know and I will take it down.)**

**Anyway, once again, RIP Monty Oum. You were an inspiration to us all. Thanks for reading!**

**\- Your King**


	7. Lightning Strikes!

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my dog. Go on, little doggy. Enjoy all the biscuits the afterlife has to offer!**

* * *

Kyousuke was silent as he lay stretched out on his bed, staring at the ceiling above him. All around him, he could hear his housemates going through their daily rituals. The boy had somehow (miraculously) managed to get through last night's incident relatively unscathed.

He said 'relatively' because although he and Blake had come to no bodily harm — which was _always _a possibility whenever Yang or Kirino were involved — their already low trust in him regarding such situations had been shot to hell, with them demanding that he sleep with his door open that night. Meekly, he had agreed, bringing an end to the interrogation and allowing Blake to take her leave with little more than a quiet promise to him that she would keep in touch.

Blake Belladonna. Just thinking about her caused a wave of anxiety to wash over him. The Faunus girl had certainly left him with some serious baggage. Svernare's birthday was in less than two weeks, after all.

In less than two weeks time, he would be getting caught up in something way over his head — _again_. And this time, it wasn't just a handful of friends that would be getting involved; oh, no. _This _time, his entire damn family would be there.

The boy held absolutely no illusions about their chances. Not as he was now…

"Kyousuke?" Weiss' voice broke him out of his darkening thoughts. "Your mother says brunch is ready."

The black-haired teen glanced up to see her standing in the doorway, brushing her hair. "She's home?" he asked in surprise.

"Apparently she got back early this morning." The girl shrugged. "She looked a bit tired, but still seemed like her usual, chipper self."

"Yeah" Kyousuke sighed, sliding off the mattress. "Mom's always up late, so she can power through the day after an all-nighter like it's nothing."

The teen brushed passed her and closed the door. Weiss nodded at him and replaced the hairbrush in the bathroom before following the boy downstairs, where several voices could be heard murmuring in low tones. Upon entering the dining room, Kyousuke was unsurprised to see Yang half-asleep at the table. Despite her near boundless spunk and energy, his childhood friend had never been much of a morning person.

From her seat next to the disheveled blonde, Ruby smiled at him for a few moments before resuming her devouring of pancakes with great gusto, much to the disgust of Kirino. His little sister looked slightly green as she watched the redhead inhaling what was essentially a mountain of sugar. As they took their seats, Kyousuke shook his head in bemusement.

"Morning, all," he said quietly, receiving little more than a brief glance from Kirino and a lifeless grunt from Yang.

"Gwwwd mowwnn!" Ruby somehow managed through a mouthful of disgustingly sweet pancakes. Honestly. How she wasn't diabetic by now, he had no idea.

"Ugh! Ruby that was _abhorrent!_" Weiss gave the redhead a look of disgust before turning away with a grimace. "The least you could do is cover your mouth!"

"Chew and swallow?" Kyousuke suggested wryly. The girl did so with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry."

"Ah, Kyousuke," his mother said as she entered the room with another platter of pancakes. "The girls tell me you had quite the... _adventure_ last night."

"Whatever they told you, I assure you that it's deeply exaggerated," he replied before giving her a concerned once-over. "You alright, Mom?"

"I've been better." Yoshino gave him a tired smile. "I assume you realize that the company is in a bit of a pickle?"

"That's putting it rather mildly, Professor," Weiss said with a frown, crossing her arms. "How is my father handling it?"

Unnoticed by the others sitting at the table, Kyousuke flinched at the mention of the company president. Silently biting his tongue, he stared down at the small pile of pancakes in front of him.

"He's calmer than he was yesterday," the brunette woman replied with a small sigh. "But I should probably get back to headquarters after this; just in case he decides to take his frustration out on some poor employee."

"Would you mind terribly if I went with you?" the heiress asked hopefully. "I'd like to speak to him in person."

"Sure. I'm sure he'd enjoy a visit," Yoshino nodded, taking a sip of coffee. "But enough of that. What has everyone else got planned for today?"

"I've got a photo shoot with Ayase at the park," Kirino said simply.

"We've gotta check in with Dad," Ruby piped in, while Yang just let out another low groan. "He's expecting a full, personal report from me. And since he doesn't trust Yang by herself, she's supposed to come with me."

The rest of the room's occupants looked at her strangely. "Can't you just do that over a scroll?" Weiss asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"He's... different," Yang sighed, properly joining the conversation at last. "Yes... _different_. Let's just leave it at that."

"I see," Yoshino hid a smile behind her mug. "I suppose that leaves you as the odd man out, Kyousuke. I certainly hope you don't plan to spend the day lazing about." Her eyes were mostly teasing, but there was still a hint of motherly reproachfulness in her tone. However, when the boy didn't even look up, her brows furrowed. "Sweetheart?"

"Hm?" Kyousuke jumped slightly and glanced up to see his housemates staring at him strangely. "Oh, I'm sorry. What were we talking about?"

"Did you have any plans today?" his mother asked gently.

"You wanna come see our dad with us?" Ruby offered. "He'd be happy to see you again. He's always liked you."

"Ha!" Yang scoffed. "_Like_ him? Dad acts like Kyo's the son he never had. He's always going on about how we should be more like him. More '_level-headed_' or whatever it is he always spouts."

"Perhaps you'd like to see _my _father with me?" Weiss asked, prompting Ruby to send her an annoyed glare. "I'd like to update him on our translation of my mother's journals. And I'm sure he'd like to see us together more often."

Kirino rolled her eyes and sent him a hard glare. "Just stay away from the park. I don't want my friends to get the wrong idea."

"Oh, give it a rest, Washboard," Yang scoffed.

"First of all, I'm not flat, Blondie." The younger girl's eyes narrowed. "And secondly, your sister is even smaller than I am. Wouldn't that same logic apply to her?"

"That just adds to her innocent charm!" The blonde grinned. "And besides, _everyone _is flat compared to moi."

"Even Ice Queen?"

"Oh, don't even start!"

"Will you stop calling me that?" Weiss snapped, throwing both of them a venomous glare. "And stop talking about my breasts!"

Yoshino watched them all; her eyes growing more concerned the longer Kyousuke remained silent. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," the teen said with a tired sigh, running a hand through his hair. "It's just… I've been thinking." He paused for a moment and scratched at his recently-healed scar absentmindedly. "Maybe it's time I talked to Sensei and resumed my training."

Immediately, the ambient conversation in the room ceased. Weiss looked around in confusion as the others turned to stare at him in shock. "Sensei? Who's that?" No one answered. "Hello?"

"E-Eh?" Ruby blinked at him. "But I thought you had a falling-out with your teacher?"

"I did," he admitted with a deep grimace. "And it's not going to be easy talking to her after all this time."

"Kyousuke," Yoshino asked, worry evident on her face. "I'm not saying I'm against it, but where's this coming from? It's been nearly three years since you even _mentioned _your training and now you're suddenly deciding to pick it back up?"

"I know," Kyousuke muttered. "It's just… I've been doing some thinking recently." He let out a sigh and turned to stare out the window. "So much has happened in the last few weeks, whether I like it or not. _Everything _is changing… And I'm just starting to realize how utterly unprepared I am."

'_Woefully so._' The teen grimaced slightly. '_Just how the hell am I going to pull this off?_' Slowly, his fingers balled into a tight fist._ 'How am I supposed to protect Svernare…? Weiss… Mom… __**Everyone?**__'_

The simple answer was he couldn't. Not like this. Frankly, he would need all the help he could get. And if that meant going to his old teacher, getting on his hands and knees and begging her to train him, then _dammit_! That's what he would do it.

Yang, who had remained largely silent after he'd first stated his intentions, finally spoke up. "Kyo…" she whispered breathlessly. "Y-You're really going to do this?"

"I'm sorry," Weiss interrupted, a frown on her face. "But what exactly are we talking about?"

"My brother used to be the apprentice of a well-known Huntress," Kirino said, staring at him with an odd look on her face. "But he stopped about three years ago and never went back."

"Truly?" The white-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you _did _tell me that you were out of practice after our bout with the _Giant Armor_…"

"Yeah," Kyousuke nodded with a small frown. "I'm going to go to her house after this and ask her to train me again."

"Doesn't she live, like, on the other side of town?" Kirino asked.

"Yes," he muttered. "South of the agricultural district; on the shores of Lake Bresha, near the outskirts of the city. There used to be a monorail that went in that direction, but they shut it down a few years ago."

"Then it's a good thing I came home this morning." Yoshino smiled playfully, prompting the boy to turn to her curiously. "Tempest finally came back from the shop."

"Seriously?" Kyousuke perked up. Yang did likewise, a wide grin forming on her face. "No!" He immediately snapped upon catching sight of the look in her eyes. "You're the one that crashed it in the first place. My dad grounded me for a _month_ because of you!"

"But, _Kyooooo_…"

"Excuse me," Weiss broke in, raising a hand to cut off the sharp retort forming on Kyousuke's tongue. "But, what exactly are we talking about _now?_"

"His car," Yoshino explained, reaching into her coat pocket and tossing Kyousuke a set of keys. "The Schnee _TEMPEST_: the latest in the Company's line of high-performance vehicles."

"It was an early graduation gift," the teen said, sending a dark glare at Yang who simply turned away and started whistling innocently. "But I only got to drive it a handful of times before _someone _asked to try it out and ended up crashing it."

"I thought it would be the same as driving a motorcycle," the blonde said defensively.

"Except it's nothing _like _a motorcycle!"

Yoshino chuckled for a moment before checking her watch. "Well, while I'd certainly love to watch this play out, I'm afraid I should get going." The woman wiped her mouth before standing. "Just leave the dishes in the sink. I'll take care of them when I get home. Weiss, are you ready to go?"

"Yes, Professor." The white-haired girl stood with a small nod.

"I should probably get going, too," Kyousuke muttered. "I don't want to drag it out any longer than necessary. Does anyone want a ride before I leave?"

"Me!" Yang immediately exclaimed while Ruby just nodded with a small smile.

"Alright," the black-haired teen nodded in return before glancing at Kirino, who was still staring at him with a strange look on her face. There was probably no point in asking, but he supposed he might as well. "What about you?"

Much to his surprise, however, she nodded. "...fine."

"Well, then," Yoshino smiled and kissed each of her children on the cheek. "I'll try to be back in time for dinner. Stay safe." With that — and a quiet goodbye from Weiss — the two took their leave.

Kyousuke just nodded to himself before standing as well. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

On a small bench situated on the corner of Farbe Street sat a stunningly beautiful girl. Her long hair was the color of the night sky and her eyes were shimmering pools of violet. Her skin was a creamy white that provided a striking contrast with her dark hair.

And although her choice in clothing was rather conservative in nature, they did little to disguise the girl's feminine curves and somehow managed to make her look both provocative and prudish at the same time. Needless to say, she found herself the center of quite a bit of attention.

"Hey, there," a smooth, male voice called out as the raven-haired girl was checking her scroll. Blinking slightly, she glanced up to see an admittedly handsome young man standing before her.

"Oh, hello," the girl said with a polite smile.

"What's a beautiful girl like you doing sitting all by herself?" the man asked with a charming smile.

"I'm actually just waiting for a friend of mine." She emphasized this by taking a glance down the street. But alas, her friend was nowhere in sight. There _was _some rather peculiar music coming from somewhere down the street, though.

"I see." He nodded. "I hope I'm not being too forward when I ask this, but how would you feel about stopping by the Moonbucks just around the corner with me while you wait?"

"I'm sorry," the girl said with a slightly strained smile. "But my friend should be arriving any moment. We're in a bit of a hurry, you see. We've got a shoot to get to."

'_Oh, Kirino, please get here soon_,' she thought tiredly to herself. To her annoyance, the music was starting to get louder.

"A model?" The man crowed. "I should have guessed! What company do you work for? Perhaps I have heard of you."

"Oh, I'm just a small-time model." The girl grit her teeth slightly. "I doubt you've heard of me."

'_Calm down,_' she chided herself. _'Remember your training.'_

A proper Huntress did _not _clock random people in the face, regardless of how much they deserved it… But this man was certainly trying her patience. And that ridiculous music was _not _helping!

"Mayhaps you can give me your name, fair lady?" He smiled, further infuriating the girl before him. "I could spread the word that I...met… such a… gorgeous..." The man grit his teeth, turning to glare down the street furiously. "Where is that god-awful music coming from?! It's completely ruining the atmosphere!"

As though waiting for these very words, a sleek midnight-blue car suddenly came hurtling around the corner; its radio speakers loudly blasting a Mexican folk song. The two of them watched in shock as the car skid to a stop right in front of them, its only form of identification being a license plate reading in bold, blocky letters: T-E-M-P-E-S-T.

The two stared in stunned silence as the car roof slid open, revealing a group of four people sitting within. Immediately, the girl's attention was caught by the driver, who was a comely black-haired boy and was currently being strangled by...

"K-Kirino-chan?!"

Said girl froze mid-action as she turned to face the speaker. "A-Ayase!" Kirino squeaked, though her voice could barely be heard over the blaring music. "W-What a surprise!"

"B-But you said this is… where you were... meeting," the boy in the driver's seat coughed, rubbing his abused throat gingerly. Kirino turned to glare at him murderously.

"I told you to drop me off a few blocks away!" She hissed. "_Especially_ with this absurd music your radio plays!"

"Blame dad for that!" he cried out, wildly gesturing at the radio in question. "He's the one who refused to let me get it repaired! Teach me a lesson my _ass_..."

"What are you talking about?" the gorgeous blonde in the passenger seat exclaimed, a wide grin on her lovely face. "This song is awesome!"

"It _is _kinda catchy," a cute, young redhead sitting next to Kirino said with a sagely nod.

"Ugh!" Kirino covered her face, humiliation emanating from every pore. "Never mind. Just get out of here!" The girl hopped out of the car and sent one last glare at the driver before stomping over to Ayase and the stunned man next to her.

"K-Kirino…?" the black-haired girl stammered, watching as the blue convertible sped off down the street, the Mexican folk song slowly receding into the distance along with it.

"Sorry you had to see that, Ayase," Kirino said with a sheepish smile.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, waving her arms frantically. "It's fine!"

The brown-haired girl nodded before turning to the man, who was still staring at them with a dumbfounded expression on his face. "...the hell are you?"

"O-Oh, well, I'm—"

"Never mind; I don't care," Kirino sighed, shaking her head. "Let's go, Ayase."

"R-Right!" The black-haired girl smiled 'politely' at the man. "Sorry, we've got to go!" Kirino turned to go, prompting the man to open his mouth to issue a hot retort.

Only to freeze as Ayase's eyes suddenly lost all sense of life as she stared the man down. He could feel chills riding down his spine as she gave him a look that clearly said, '_Follow us and you're dead.'_

"Ayase! Are you coming?"

"I'll be right there!" The man could only watch in shock as she suddenly began smiling again as though nothing had happened. Thankfully, she trotted off without another word and the two gorgeous girls disappeared into the bustling streets of Vale.

* * *

"Honestly," Kyousuke muttered to himself, rubbing his throat as he rounded another corner. The radio was still playing that ridiculous folk song… _Los Dos Laredos_ _Acordeones_ or something like that.

It was the song Yang had been listening to when she crashed his car some months ago. And although the rest of his car had been repaired to its original condition, the radio was unable to play any song other than this one. Neither was it able to be turned off and the best he could do was lower the volume to slightly less ear-splitting levels. It was his father's idea of a moral lesson.

'_Never let Yang drive it again_,' Kyousuke thought grumpily to himself.

"I'm telling you, this song is godly!" said blonde exclaimed, bobbing her head in time with the music, her hair blowing wildly in the wind.

"So, that girl was one of Kirino's friends?" Ruby shouted over both the radio and the wind, her arms wrapped tightly around her cloak to keep it from billowing all over the place. "Her name was Ayase or something, right?"

"I wouldn't know!" Kyousuke replied in an equally loud voice. "I didn't even get a chance to see her. Too busy being strangled by my brute of a sister!"

"Too bad!"

The boy merely sighed as he pulled into the driveway of a medium-sized house. The sound of barking drifted over from inside the house as an older man poked his head out the door, obviously drawn out by the music still blaring from Tempest's radio.

"Hey, Dad!" Yang waved at the man energetically. "Kyo got his car back!"

"Turn it down!" the girls' father shouted back, a grimace forming on his face as several of the neighbors began to peer out through their windows.

"I can't, sorry, sir!" Kyousuke replied loudly before turning to the girls hopping out of the car. "I gotta go. I don't want to disturb the neighbors any more than necessary."

"You sure you don't wanna come in for a bit?" Ruby asked, turning to him hopefully.

"That depends," he said neutrally. "Is your crazy uncle here?"

"Er... maybe?"

"Then no."

"Oh, come on now!" Yang exclaimed. "Qrow loves you!"

"Qrow only likes me because Sensei _hates_ him!" Kyousuke retorted. "He had a nasty habit of showing up out of nowhere and pissing her off. And considering who I'm about to visit, I'd rather not make this any more stressful than necessary. I'll see you girls back at the house."

"See you..." Ruby waved halfheartedly as he quickly pulled out of the driveway and took off down the street once again. They stood staring after it until the sound of music finally died down before finally turning and making their way towards the house.

"Well, that was quite an entrance," Taiyang remarked, shaking his head with a small sigh. "How have you been, girls? I hope you haven't been giving the Kousakas trouble."

"No, sir!" Yang said with a grin. Their father stared at her for a moment before turning to his youngest.

"Ruby?"

"Hey!"

"Actually, things have been going pretty well," the redhead reported with a smile. "We even made some new friends."

"I am _not _friends with Ice Queen," Yang muttered, crossing her arms with a small pout, prompting Ruby to elbow her sharply in the ribs. "Ow!"

"You did?" Taiyang blinked in surprise before a wide smile spread across his face. "That's good! I know how hard it is for you to talk to people, Ruby, so I was worried."

"I'm not _that _bad, Dad!" The girl protested. "Besides, the Kousakas are hardly strangers."

"I know, I know." Their father chuckled slightly before turning back towards the house. "Why don't we head inside? I just started making some cookies."

"Yes!" Ruby cheered. Taiyang smiled at her enthusiasm and opened the door, only for a small, brown blur to come barreling through, nearly tackling the girl to the ground in the process. "Ack!"

"Zwei!" the man exclaimed. "That's enough! Down, boy!"

"Z-Zwei!" The red-haired girl managed through her giggles as the small Corgi began lapping at her face. "Haha! I missed you, too!"

"Aw, come here, little guy!" Yang grinned, grabbing the dog and peppering his head with kisses.

"Well, then," Taiyang said with a bemused smile. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be in the kitchen."

"Will do," the blonde replied as he went in ahead of them. "Now, who's a good boy? Huh? Who's a good boy?"

Ruby watched as Yang proceeded to rub Zwei on the belly, much to the dog's delight. She was silent for several moments before glancing down the street where Kyousuke had disappeared.

"Hey, Yang?"

"Yeah?" The older sibling hummed, glancing up at her.

"Do you think Kyousuke's teacher will agree to train him again?" the redhead asked, a look of concern crossing her face. "They had a falling-out, right? What if she says no?"

Yang frowned slightly, taking a look down the street as well. "I… I don't know," she admitted. "She definitely won't be too happy to see him. Kyo told me that they had a huge argument when he quit three years ago. I wouldn't be too surprised if she's still feeling bitter about it. Hopefully, he comes home in one piece today."

"You don't _mean _that, do you?" Ruby asked, a horrified expression taking shape on her face. "Is his teacher really that scary?"

"Of course not," Yang said, causing her sister to sigh in relief. "I know for a _fact _that he's going to be missing a few extremities; maybe a finger or two at least."

"Yang!"

"I'm being completely serious." The blonde shook her head with a small frown. "There are some people you just don't wanna piss off and Master Farron is at the top of that list."

"Wait." Ruby froze. "W-What did you just say?"

"That I was being serious?"

"No, after that."

"You don't want to piss off Master Farron?"

"That's it." The redhead stared at Yang in shock. "Big Bro's teacher is Master Farron; as in Master _Claire _Farron — the world-renowned Huntress?"

"Ah," Yang smiled sheepishly. "So, you know her?"

"_Know_ her?" Ruby repeated incredulously. "Yang, she's one of — if not _the_ — greatest Huntress of our era! Rumors say that she single-handedly defeated an army's worth of Grimm during the Eden Crisis!"

"Ah, I guess so," the blonde said with a small shrug. "I always just called her _That-Scary-Lady-That-Kyo-Is-Always-Following_."

"Y-You… called her…" The younger girl looked slightly woozy as she stared at her sister incredulously. "I-I don't…"

"Ruby?" Yang asked as the redhead fell over. She scratched her head slightly, staring down at the unconscious girl in confusion. "What's _her _problem?"

* * *

Kyousuke was silent as he slowed his car into the driveway of his teacher's lakeside home. Immediately, he killed the engine, lest he draw her wrath with Tempest's insufferable radio. Letting out a nervous sigh, he took a moment to steel himself before popping open the door and stepping out of the car.

Looking up at the deceptively serene-looking building before him, he took a deep breath and made his way up the steps leading up to the porch. All too soon, he found himself standing in front of his teacher's door; one that, just three years ago, he'd been capable of opening without a second thought.

The off-white double doors had never seemed as ominous as they did in that moment. They seemed to tower over the boy, as though warning him the dangers that lay within.

'_You can do this, Kyousuke,_' the teen thought as he took a deep breath. Steeling himself once more, he raised his hand to knock...

"What are you doing here?" a cool voice said from behind him.

"Gah!" Kyousuke spun around to see a familiar pinked-haired woman leaning against the porch rails. "S-Sensei! Where did you come from?!"

"Humph," the woman scoffed. "I'm not your _sensei_ anymore, kid. I heard you coming five miles away, what with that ridiculous music you listen to. Your inability to sense me flanking you was shameful."

As she spoke, Kyousuke took the opportunity to really look at her for the first time in three years. She had changed remarkably little. Physically, at least, she still looked exactly as he remembered. Her long, rose-colored hair still fell to her shoulders in waves and her pale, aqua eyes still glinted fiercely as she stared him down.

Perhaps the biggest change had been to her wardrobe. No longer did she dress like a soldier. Instead, she wore a simple, black leather vest and a pair of tastefully ripped, navy-blue jeans. Her preference in footwear still seemed to be combat boots, but the black boots she now wore seemed more fashionable than practical — something that would have boggled his mind three years ago.

"You've changed, Sensei," he remarked quietly.

"Don't call me that!" the woman snapped. "I'm not a Huntress anymore and I'm pretty damn sure I'm not your teacher either. You made sure I understood that the last time we met."

Despite having fully expected a cold welcome — or lack thereof — the teen still flinched. "I apologize... Lightning."

That was the name most people knew her by. It had been her codename during the crisis eight years ago and she greatly preferred it over her true name — in regards to those not close to her, that is.

He held no illusions about which category he belonged to at this point in time.

"The question still stands," Lightning grunted, pinning him in place with her icy glare. "Why are you here?"

"I-I came here to beg your forgiveness," Kyousuke said, bowing to her deeply. "I never meant for you to think that I was ungrateful for your training. It's just... I was going through a rough patch and I needed space."

"Ha!" The pinked-haired woman scoffed. "It took you three years to figure that out and you come here trying to make amends? I don't buy it. You forget that I _know_ you, brat. You came here for a reason. Now spit it out. I have company and I can't spend all day babysitting you."

The black-haired teen flinched at his motives being sniffed out so easily. "I-I came—" Kyousuke paused and took a deep breath. "I came to ask you to train me again."

The silence that followed was palpable. Kyousuke, who was still dipped forward in a deep bow, had no idea how she was reacting. The silence stretched on for what seemed like an eternity, much to the teen's distress. Then, it was finally broken in a way the boy had _not_ been expecting. Lightning slowly began to chuckle as she stared at the boy in front of her. Kyousuke smiled weakly as the chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh.

"Ha!" The former-Huntress scoffed, all humor draining from her face. "You have some nerve, brat. Showing up here after three years of silence and asking me to take you back as if nothing had happened."

"I... I know that," the boy whispered, a grimace forming on his face.

"Then you know what my answer is," Lightning said coolly. "Go home. And don't come back here again."

"Sensei, I..."

The woman ignored his attempts at reasoning with her, instead brushing past him and towards the door. Feeling a sense of desperation wash over him, Kyousuke reached out to grab her hand. "Wait, Sensei!"

Then — faster than he could have possibly reacted — Lightning grabbed his wrist and twisted it to near-breaking point. Spinning around, she viciously punched him in the stomach, her fist completely shrouded with Dust. Feeling his entire body locking up, the teen was sent stumbling backwards, but his former teacher refused to let up on him. With one last, Dust-infused kick to the chest, she sent the teen flying off the porch and onto the sandy beach several yards below.

Kyousuke landed hard on his back, completely breathless. He vaguely registered the sound of his teacher landing next to him but it was only when she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him until they were eye-to-eye did he finally regain his senses.

"I won't repeat myself," the woman whispered harshly. "Get out of my sight."

And with that, she threw him back roughly into the sand. Kyousuke watched in numb silence as she leapt back onto the porch and entered the house, slamming the door as she did so. Flinching at the noise, Kyousuke lay there staring up at the clouds, drifting through the skies without a care in the world. But the longer he stared at the sky above, the more he felt feelings of humiliation and frustration begin to seep out through every pore.

Gritting his teeth, the teen shakily stood. He reached back, drew Blazefire Saber from its holster and with an enraged snarl, began tearing into a nearby palm tree. Unaware of everything around him, he hacked and slashed at the unsuspecting tree in blind fury.

'_Damn it..._' He had seen this coming, and yet he'd still held hope.

'_Damn it...!_' Hope that maybe he would be able to pull through. That it wouldn't be like last time...

'_Damn it!_' That people wouldn't have to die because he was too goddamn _weak_.

"**DAMN IT!**" he roared slashing the tree clean in half. The tree fell over, throwing a cloud of sand into the air. Kyousuke stood, breathing heavily as the dust settled around him. He was broken out of his own misery by the sound of his scroll letting off a series of noises. With a deep sigh, the teen flopped down onto the newly created stump and pulled the device out.

"_Kyousuke, are you there?_"

Despite his rapidly deteriorating mood, the boy managed to blink in surprise. "Blake?" There was no video feed, but he could recognize that voice anywhere.

"_Yes, it's me. Sorry there's no video, but I'd rather be safe than sorry in regards to the White Fang. I called because I wanted to know what you're doing to prepare for what's to come._" The girl paused for a moment and when she continued, there was a clear tone of confusion in her voice. "_Are those waves I hear in the background?_"

"Yeah," Kyousuke sighed, glancing at the lake blearily. "I tried to get my old teacher to help train me again, but... Let's just say I came out of it worse than how I went in."

"_What do you mean?"_

"I mean that I realized that we're _fucked!_" The boy snarled, a feeling of bitter hopelessness settling into the pit his stomach. Rubbing the scar on his face, Kyousuke let out a deep, shuddering sigh. "I-I can't do this, Blake," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly. "I'm just not strong enough. People are going to die and there's not a _damn_ thing I can do about it!"

"_Kyousuke..._"

"I haven't done any serious training in three years — and it _shows_," he continued. "My teacher kicked my ass without even trying. She took me down with three moves. _Three!_ If she had wanted to kill me, I would be _dead _right now. How the hell am I supposed to stand against the White Fang? How the hell am I supposed to protect everyone?!"

"_**Kyousuke!**_" The boy actually flinched at the volume of her voice. "_Listen to me. We can do this. __**You **__can do this._"

"But..."

"_Please, just trust me._" There was a small hint of warmth in her voice as she said this. "_You gave me your trust before. And now I'm giving you mine. I saw what you're capable of back in that alley. You can do this. __**We**__ can do this. I know we can._"

"Blake..." Kyousuke was left utterly speechless. There was a series of muffled noises in the background on Blake's end that prompted the girl to curse.

"_I'm sorry,_" she said. "_I've got to cut this short. Are you going to be free tomorrow? Maybe I could meet up with you._" The boy did not reply right away. "_Hello?_"

"No, I'm not," Kyousuke said, a determined glare forming on his face.

"_I see. Well, we'll figure something out. Just remember what I said. I believe in you._" And with that, she ended communication.

"Well, that was certainly cute," a cool voice said from behind him.

The teen stiffened for a moment but to his credit, did not jump in shock. "Sen— Lightning." He corrected himself. "I thought you had company?"

"They can wait for a few more minutes," the woman said lowly. "I thought I told you to leave. Instead, I find you destroying public land — with the very blade _I_ entrusted to you. I'm not sure if you're just thick or if you're actively trying to disrespect me."

"That was never my intention," Kyousuke replied, turning to look her in the eye. "And I can't leave. Not until I get you to agree."

It seemed that she'd taken the opportunity to change out of her civilian clothes while she was inside. She now wore a white flak jacket over a black, sleeveless turtleneck. She wore no leggings and instead had a brown miniskirt and matching boots. On her left shoulder was a green pauldron with yellow stripes — denoting her former rank of sergeant before resigning from the military. And draped across her right shoulder was a bright red cloak, partially concealing her gunblade, Overture, holstered at her waist.

"I already told you," Lightning snapped, a cold glare on her face. "I'm retired. I don't babysit anymore."

"Then it seems I'm going to be here awhile," the boy replied, glaring right back at her.

"Is that so?" the woman asked coldly. Kyousuke stiffened as her fingers brushed against Overture's hilt. "Then perhaps I _should_ teach you? A lesson on why not to cross me."

"Sen— Lightning," the teen said, lowering his body into a defensive posture as the former-Huntress slowly slid her weapon out of its holster. Kyousuke placed his hand on Blazefire Saber's hilt and took a deep, calming breath…

Suddenly — like the electrical phenomenon she was named for — his teacher streaked across the beach, crossing the distance between them in less than a second and burying the hilt of her white-gold gunblade into his stomach. Kyousuke's eyes bulged as pain shot through his entire body. Lurching forward, he fell to his knees, dry heaving for several moments.

"Pathetic," Lightning spat, staring down at him with cold eyes. Gritting his teeth, the boy drew his blade and stood on shaky legs. Glaring at her heatedly, he leveled his weapon into a defensive position and waited. "Are you just going to stand there all day?" the woman asked, scowling. "The first rule of combat is—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Kyousuke shot forward. "—always control the flow of battle." He said through grit teeth as she effortlessly parried his strike. "I know."

"Wrong," she snapped, flicking her wrist and ripping the teen's blade out of his hand. Then, with a savage kick, she sent him flying backward. "You must _be _the flow."

'_The flow isn't something you can just read,'_ His teacher's voice from a lesson long past echoed through Kyousuke's head as he picked himself up, spitting out clumps of sand as he did so. _'You must __**become**__ the flow.'_

"You've gotten so… weak," Lightning said quietly as she stared down at him, her face emotionless. Slowly, she reached down and picked up his fallen gunblade. She looked it over, an unreadable look on her face, before tossing it to the ground before him. "You're not cut out for this. Not anymore." She shook her head with a sigh. "Just go home."

"I…" he said through grit teeth.

"What was that?"

"I-I...!"

"Just spit it out!"

"**I CAN'T!**" Kyousuke snarled, glaring at her fiercely. "I can't give up. Not now!"

"Then tell me _why!_" Lightning snapped, giving him a sharp glare of her own.

"Because it's exactly like you said!" the teen roared. "I'm so goddamn_ weak_!" Kyousuke clenched his fist until he began to draw blood. "Three years ago, my best friend was killed because of _me_. I was right there, but I couldn't do a _damn _thing!"

The woman was silent as she watched her ex-pupil's body begin to shudder beneath the weight of three years-worth of repressed emotions. "For three years, I thought that if I gave up that life, then no one would have to get hurt again... because of _me_."

Kyousuke snarled as he violently punched the ground beneath him. "But everything is falling apart again, even though I've been struggling all this time to just be _normal_."

He turned to look at her through angry, red eyes. "The people I care about are going to get hurt, just like before; they're going to _die _because I'm too _pathetic _to do anything. Something like this... You… You wouldn't understand."

Even before he finished his sentence, Kyousuke knew that had been the wrong thing to say. He saw her entire body stiffen and watched with sullen eyes as she stormed towards him. But nothing could have prepared him for what she did.

It was all he could do not to gape in shock as she knelt down and pulled him into an embrace. "I _do _understand," she said softly into his hair. "I know what it's like. To feel powerless when someone you love needs you... and being unable to do anything about it."

She pulled back and raised her hand to gently trace the scar on his face. "But you're wrong. We _both _were," the woman continued. "You're _not _weak... You proved that just now."

"S-Sensei…" Lightning sighed at his emotional distress and just stroked his hair in an attempt to calm him. They were silent for several moments before she spoke again.

"That's enough, Kyousuke," the pink-haired woman said quietly as she stood and began brushing the sand off her clothes. "Compose yourself. You should head home now."

"Bu—"

"Head home," Lightning repeated, turning around and striding back towards her house. "Get a good night's sleep. I want you here at 0600 hours." She paused and turned to send a sharp glare at his shocked visage. "And remember; I don't tolerate tardiness."

"Y-Yes!" Kyousuke exclaimed, immediately standing at attention.

"Yes, _Sensei_."

"Yes, Sensei!" Shaking her head with a bemused sigh, Lightning entered the house and gently closed the door behind her. Kyousuke just took a moment to let the reality of what had just happened sink in. He started chuckling for a few moments. It soon blossomed into a full belly laugh as he fell back onto the sand once again, grinning up at the sky. He had done it. No longer was he plagued by fear and doubts. Oh, he knew that it was far too soon to be celebrating, but for the first time since this whole mess started...

He felt hope.

* * *

**A/N: I highly suggest playing the song "Kimi ga Iru Kara" during the scene where Lightning says "You've gotten so... weak," and let it play till you get back to the author's note. Or you can just listen to the whole song. Whatever floats your boat. You can look it up on Youtube or find it on my site under the new Music tab.**

**You weren't expecting another chapter so soon, were you? Well, the truth is, I wasn't planning on writing this so quickly.**

**Unfortunately, my dog died earlier this week, so I've been writing to try and get over the depression. My neighbor accidentally ran him over while she was pulling out of the driveway. He hadn't even been a year old when he died in my arms. Such a short life... it's just not fair, y'know?**

**Anyway, enough of my inane problems. That's not why we're here.**

**Looks like Kyo's finally starting to gain some traction. Quite a few of you already guessed who his teacher was and you know the old saying; **_**when the student is ready, the teacher appears.**_

**I really tried not to make this a full-blown FF crossover, but it happened anyway. It just worked **_**too **_**well! But I'll be trying to keep the FF to a minimum. Lightning should be the only (hopefully) character that actually appears.**

**For those of you who have no idea who Lightning is, you can either look her up or alternatively, find her on my site. She'll be under Misc Characters. Her weapon will be up, too. As will Ayase, but we already know who she is. She'll be under Unassigned Characters.**

**DO NOT MOCK MY POOR ATTEMPTS AT PHOTOSHOP!**

**By the way, yes I am fully aware that I'm getting character ages wrong. This is intentional. Not everyone can be a child prodigy that gets into Beacon early. Compromises must be made. **

**Not even Kyousuke is immune to this, as he is almost a full year older than canon. He just graduated from the RWBY equivalent of high school, after all. In canon, he was near the beginning of senior year. Not that any of you noticed THAT.**

**RvB fans should totally get the car joke. And if you don't get it, you can either look up the song or check it out on my site under the new 'Music' tab.**

**I don't think there's much else to say except; Thanks for reading!**

**\- Your King**

* * *

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* * *

Lightning sighed, the barest hint of a smile gracing her face as she gently closed the door behind her.

"Well, now." A male voice suddenly spoke up from her couch on the far side of the room. "I'd say that went rather well, wouldn't you agree?" Immediately, the soft expression on the woman's face fell apart as she sent a dark glare at the grey-haired man calmly sitting in her house; sipping his coffee as though his presence here was an everyday occurrence.

"I should have known _you_ would be involved in this somehow, Ozpin." The pink-haired woman grunted, crossing her arms. "I thought something was fishy when you showed up here out of the blue this afternoon. You _never_ do anything without a reason."

The Headmaster just chuckled and took another sip of his coffee. "I assure you that I have no idea what you mean, Miss Farron," he said with a smile. "Is it truly so hard to believe that I simply wished to visit an old friend and colleague?"

"Yes." Lightning snorted. "It's all just too convenient. You know that I've never cared for your scheming, regardless of how noble your goals may be."

"Be that as it may." The man conceded with yet another smile, sipping his coffee once last time before placing the mug on the table before him. He looked up at her, an expectant gleam in his eyes. "However... I _do_ seem to recall speaking to you a few weeks prior."

"Oh, I recall," she droned, her arms still crossed as she leaned against the wall.

"The offer still stands," Ozpin said, leaning forward on his cane. "Have you given it any consideration?"

"Like I said; it's all just too damn convenient." The former-Huntress frowned at him deeply. "Talk to me straight, Ozpin. You knew he would come seeking my help eventually, didn't you?"

"I knew from the moment I saw your gunblade in his hands." The man said seriously, folding his hands in front of his mouth. "The boy is _lost_, Claire — in need of guidance. I have pointed him in the right direction, but I'm afraid only you can lead him there."

The two locked gazes for several moments. The pink-haired woman probed his eyes intently, trying to find his angle. Finally, after several minutes of this, she sighed. "I'll play your little game for now, Ozpin," Lightning said grudgingly. "But _only _because our interests align."

"That's all I ask." Ozpin chuckled before standing and holding out his hand with a wide, beaming smile on his face. "Well then, let me be the first to welcome you as the newest member of Beacon's staff, Professor Farron."


	8. Premonition

Yang watched with curious eyes as Weiss practically glided across the floor, humming a small tune. While certainly a novelty in and of itself, the fact that she was doing it while performing housework — something the heiress had _always _been quick to complain about — left her housemates in a state of disbelief.

"Wow," the blonde remarked, letting out a low whistle. "I've never seen Ice Queen so lively before."

"Well..." Ruby shrugged. "According to Kyousuke, it's because her father's birthday is this weekend. He said that she's got a big surprise for him."

"It's that song that she's been humming for the past month," Yang said. "He told me that much. Apparently her mom wrote it for her old man before she passed away."

"That's correct." The heiress in question interjected, her brow twitching slightly. "Now, would you _please_ stop talking about me as though I weren't here?"

...

"That's so tragically romantic," Ruby mumbled with a dejected sigh, as though she hadn't said anything.

"I _know_, right?"

"I hate you both; so much."

From her position of the couch, Kirino watched their banter with only a passing interest. Her mind was elsewhere at the moment; specifically, it on her idiot brother, who was off training with Master Farron again. The black-haired teen had been absent for the better part of the week, much to the surprise of his housemates. What had brought on this sudden change in behavior, no one knew; but nor were they exactly complaining.

Well, perhaps they complained a _little_. With this sudden resurgence in his training, Kyousuke had precious few moments to spare for anyone. Weiss had spent all week complaining that he should be preparing for the gala that was fast approaching; that he should be trying to coordinate his wardrobe with hers as well as practicing his waltz.

Likewise, Ruby had been trying to corner him for some time now. Ever since she caught wind of his teacher's true identity she'd been trying to get him to introduce her or at the very least get her an autograph. But Kyousuke had been out of the house for the majority of the week, only coming home in time for dinner and practically passing out from exhaustion afterwards.

As one would expect, Yang had been by far the most understanding and had actually spent the better part of her week redoubling her own training. "_I'm not about to let Kyo outpace me!" _she had said with a wide grin on her face as she destroyed a set of training dummies in the Kousakas' spacious backyard.

But perhaps the most surprising reaction had been that of Kirino herself. The faux-brunette girl had been uncharacteristically civil with the boy during their sparse interactions. Her housemates had been shocked when she offered to help him with the dishes one night and Kyousuke himself had looked as though he was about to start hyperventilating at any moment.

Honestly! She _was _capable of playing nice. It just… wasn't her strongest suit, okay? Especially whenever her brother decided to stick his foot in his mouth or act like a complete idiot — which was, unfortunately, quite often.

"So, is he out training with Master Farron again?" Ruby's voice broke the girl out of her musing.

"Yeah." Yang nodded. "He said that they're moving on from one-on-one training and that they were going to start doing some work in the field."

"Work in the field?" the redhead repeated, a confused look on her face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Kirino spoke up for the first time, prompting the two sisters to turn to her in surprise. "That she's taking him outside the kingdom walls."

"Wait, outside the walls?" Weiss demanded, her head snapping up from her work. "Just the two of them? Is she _insane_?!"

"Relax, Weiss," Ruby said cheerfully. "Remember, this is Master Farron we're talking about! She can handle it."

"It's not _her _I'm worried about!" The white-haired girl snapped. "But rather, the fact that it's my fiancé she happens to be dragging off into Grimm-infested territory that concerns me!"

Everyone twitched at the mention of the '_F-word_', but refrained from commenting on it. "Relax, Ice Queen." Yang grunted. "She's tough on him, but she's not about to risk his life unless she knows he can deal with it."

"And you're certain he can?" Weiss demanded. "Have any of you ventured outside the walls before? Because I certainly haven't — not without at least half a dozen teachers watching my every move."

"Only a handful of times," the blonde said, frowning at her. "But those were school-sanctioned trips, with nearly forty other students and teachers. In Vale, there are a ton of procedures students need to go through just to go outside the walls. Like having an experienced Hunter sign a contract of liability and accompany you outside — which Kyo _has_. To be honest, I'm kinda jealous. There's no way Dad would even let us _think _of going outside the walls without excessive supervision."

"Master Farron's word carries a lot of weight," Ruby added. "If she says he's ready, then he's ready."

"But—" Weiss still looked unconvinced, but conceded with a deep sigh. "If you say so…"

"Besides," Kirino shrugged. "It's not like they're going all that far; just out to the Gaur Plains. That's pretty much within spitting distance of the walls. What's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

"SHIT!" Kyousuke cried as he ducked beneath the swooping talons of a large Nevermore. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!" The avian Grimm let out an enraged shriek as it flew past him and began to rapidly regain altitude.

Falling into a roll, the black-haired teen shifted his gunblade and fired at the beast until the magazine ran dry. Continuing to curse to himself, he dashed away just in time as the monster slammed into the rock he'd been using as cover just moments before. Taking refuge within a large, rocky outcropping sitting just meters away from a sheer cliff, Kyousuke reached into his pouch and retrieved a new magazine. Quickly replacing his spent cartridge, he chanced a peek at the Grimm to see it circling overhead, its gleaming red eyes scanning the ground for its prey.

When the student-teacher duo had first come all the way outside the walls, Lightning had said that he would be taking point. "_Keep your eyes forward. I'll be right behind you._" Those had been her exact words.

'_Damn it, Sensei!'_ the teen thought murderously. _'You lied to me!' _He had just barely finished off a small pack of Beowolves a few minutes ago and now _this_?!

A loud, shrieking cry from directly above him alerted the boy to the Nevermore's presence as the Grimm finally spotted him taking shelter beneath the outcropping. Gritting his teeth, Kyousuke began charging his blade with electricity as the giant bird swooped towards him once more.

The black-haired teen watched, waiting with baited breath as the beast grew closer and closer. Finally, just as the creature let out a shriek of triumph, Kyousuke crouched and dashed forward, using his semblance to enhance his speed and sliding beneath the Nevermore's talons. The beast crashed right into the rocky outcropping and turned to face him with an enraged gleam in its eyes.

Suddenly, however, the outcropping gave way and began collapsing atop the downed monster. Shrieking and cawing in rage, the Nevermore struggled to free itself from the crumbling rock formation but Kyousuke didn't allow it the opportunity. Wasting no time, the boy leapt atop the pinned Grimm's back and pulled the trigger of his gunblade.

A loud gunshot rang throughout the area and with a snarl, Kyousuke stabbed Blazefire Saber through the beast's rib cage, piercing its heart while simultaneously sending several thousand volts of electricity coursing through its body. The Nevermore flailed wildly, nearly throwing the teen off its back several times as it gave its last, dying shrieks.

Finally, as the beast stilled, Kyousuke withdrew his weapon with a sigh. The black-haired teen hopped off the corpse and holstered his gunblade once more.

"Not bad, I suppose." A voice called out.

Immediately, the boy turned to glare at the speaker venomously. "Where did you go?" he demanded. "You said that you'd be watching the rear while I took point."

"Dealing with those guys." Lightning grunted, nodding her head to the other side of the cliff. Kyousuke turned to see a long, bloody trail of Nevermore corpses; some of which were easily twice the size of the one he'd just slain. "Where there's one Nevermore, there is always a flock nearby. Remember that."

"Wha— How— When—"

The woman walked past the stunned teen and began examining the deteriorating corpse. "Hmm... Clean kill, at least," she mused. "You're lucky it was still a juvenile, though. If it had been fully grown, I doubt it would have fallen for that little trap you set."

"That thing was _juvenile_?" the teen asked weakly.

"No doubt." His teacher nodded. "This one looked to be about the size of an Ursa Major. Not exactly _young_, mind you. But not mature by any means."

Kyousuke just groaned and collapsed onto a nearby boulder. "Aaaaand, there goes my recently-restored confidence."

"This is what you signed on for, brat," Lightning said sternly. "You need to toughen up if you want to be ready for the White Fang."

The black-haired teen winced at that. Despite originally wanting to keep the terrorist organization's involvement a secret out of respect for Blake's wishes, his teacher had overheard his conversation with the Faunus girl back on the beach. Put that together with the information gleaned from his admission to her after their one-sided duel and Lightning had the entire situation figured out before he even showed up the next day.

"I know…" Kyousuke muttered.

"And speaking of which..." The pinked-haired woman frowned, crossing her arms. "You still haven't told me anything about this '_Blake_' character you're conspiring with."

The boy flinched once more. "I can't," he muttered. "She trusted me with this information and I promised that I wouldn't talk about her involvement. The fact that you figured out this much is already bad enough."

"Kyousuke, trusting your comrades is all well and good," Lightning said, her mouth forming a stern line. "But you have to be realistic. What's your plan? How are you getting her into the party without arousing suspicion? What about your weapons? How do you plan on smuggling them in? Explain to me how you are going to pull this off."

"I… I don't know," Kyousuke whispered softly. The woman sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"Kyousuke, if you want my help, I need _details_." She placed a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "I don't know who she is or what the hell you're trying to protect her from but I need to know what she's capable of."

"That's just the thing." The teen grimaced. "The truth is, I don't know much about her at all."

"...And you trust her to watch your back during all this?" Lightning raised an eyebrow at him.

"I know it sounds ridiculous." Kyousuke muttered, but raised his head to look her in the eye. "But she came to me of her own volition and told me what they're planning. If she wanted people dead then she wouldn't have said anything at all. I trust her, Sensei."

"...Yeah, that sounds like something you'd say, alright…" The woman sighed, shaking her head bemusedly before growing somber once more. "But the fact remains; you can't afford to leave me in the dark on this, Kyousuke."

"I know." The boy said with a sigh. "But… It's her story. She should to be the one to tell it."

"Then you know what you have to do," Lightning said, loading a Dust flare into her gunblade. Raising the weapon above her head, she fired, sending a red crystal high into the sky where it burst, creating an explosion of color.

"Yeah…" Kyousuke muttered as the roaring sound of a Bullhead's engine reached his ears. He looked up as the military-grade aircraft burst through the clouds above them, the pilot slowly lowering the vehicle until it was hovering just a few feet above the ground. With the teen silently keeping step behind his teacher, the duo made their way to their ride back to the city.

'_The only question is,_' the boy mused._ 'Will she be willing to cooperate?'_

* * *

Sitting alone in her bedroom, a black-haired girl sneezed for what seemed like the tenth time in the last few minutes. Wiping her nose in concern, Blake desperately hoped she wasn't coming down with anything. The last thing she needed was to get sick just days before the White Fang attacked.

Grimacing slightly, the Faunus grit her teeth at the unpleasant reminder. It had been over a week since she'd told Kyousuke about the imminent threat, but the boy had only spoken to her a handful of times. Any attempts at initiating communicating with him herself had been fruitless, as it was nearly impossible to get him to answer his scroll. She had even resorted to "_visiting_" his house a handful of times, but hadn't been able to catch him.

From their last conversation, Blake knew that he was training with his instructor and while she'd initially approved of this course of action, the severe lack of communication was driving her insane. Did he not realize that they needed to plan and work together to pull this off? Was he not taking this seriously?

She hadn't been kidding when she said security would be tighter than ever. This meant there would be absolutely no way for her to sneak in before things got ugly. She needed to be _inside_ the ballroom, either as a guest or a service person. And since she had no connections within the Schnee Company or the hotel the gala would be taking place at, this left Kyousuke as her only possible way in.

But it had been days since the boy had last contacted her. It was getting to the point where she was beginning to suspect that he was deliberately keeping her in the dark. Still gritting her teeth, Blake wrapped her hand tightly around Gambol Shroud's hilt in an attempt to alleviate her frustration. Her knuckles turning white, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and began counting to ten.

'_One...'_

'_Two...'_

'_Three...'_

"Ano… Nee-san?"

Twitching slightly, Blake turned and sent a venomous glare at the person who'd spoken only to immediately regret doing so as a little black-haired girl standing in the doorway flinched. Her tiny cat-ears flattened against her skull as she averted her gaze.

Blake's eyes quickly softened. "I'm sorry, Tamaki," she said softly, sighing to herself.

"A-Are you okay…?" the little girl asked, bashfully clutching a small doll Ruri had sewn for her some months ago. It was a rabbit-like creature from the _Meruru_ series named Comet-kun.

Blake managed to give her sister a strained smile. "I'm fine, just… frustrated."

Scrunching up her face at the word, Tamaki went on. "What's making you frusterbated?"

"_Frustrated_." The elder corrected with a small, but genuine smile this time. She reached down and ruffled the girl's hair. "And I'm frustrated because a very dumb boy is being mean and won't call me."

"What!" The youngest sister huffed, her cheeks puffing up in outrage at the slight towards her big sister. "Boys! They're all the same. You should just beat him up for being mean to you! ...Or, that's what Hinata-nee says, anyway. I think Ruri-nee says something like that too, but she always uses a bunch of big words that I don't really get."

"Believe me, Tamaki, I'm considering it." Blake chuckled with a wide smile now gracing her face, her earlier misgivings receding to the back of her mind. This is exactly why she loved her sisters so much. And why she would do anything to protect them. Shaking her head at the thought, Blake changed the subject lest her mood darken again. "Anyway, was there something you needed?"

"Huh?"

"When you came in, you looked like you wanted something." The older girl elaborated. "Did you need something?"

"Oh!" Tamaki exclaimed and Blake could practically see a light bulb going off in her head. "That's right! Hinata-nee says that Ruri-nee is 'doing it' again and sent me here to get re-in-horse-mints." She paused and turned to gaze up at her older sister with wide, curious eyes. "What are re-in-horse-mints?"

"I think you mean rein_forcements_." Blake sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "And it means she wants me to rescue her from another of Ruri's chuuni outbreaks."

"Oh." Tamaki nodded, even though she still didn't really understand what she was talking about. "That makes since."

"That makes _sense_."

"That's what I just said!" The younger girl pouted, her ears twitching in irritation.

"No, I..." Blake sighed, shaking her head bemusedly. "Never mind. Let's just go save Hinata, okay?"

"Okay!"

Taking her sister's hand, Blake began leading the way down the hallway towards the living/dining room, where they could both hear Ruri going off on another anime-induced tangent. Peeking her head into the room, Blake saw an exasperated Hinata sitting seiza in front of Ruri, who currently had one hand covering her face and the other splayed dramatically in front of her.

"_Kukuku…_" Their chuuni sibling chuckled menacingly. "To think that my own kin would defy me in such a manner… The blackness within your heart must be growing ever-darker to even _think _of opposing me…"

"Beg for forgiveness, _kupo!_" Mog said as he floated beside her, imitating the pose she was striking.

"All I did was ask you to stitch my shirt!" Hinata cried, her tail flicking in agitation..

"Such impudence!" Kuroneko continued. "You shall—"

"Alright, I think that's enough, Ruri," Blake broke in. The younger girl flinched and turned to look at her in alarm.

"How long have you been there?" she demanded.

"Long enough," the eldest sibling said with a small smirk.

"Sis!" Hinata exclaimed, a wide grin on her face. "Thanks for the save!"

"_K-Kukuku..._" Kuroneko chuckled once more, but dropped her dramatic pose. "You think that your allies have brought you deliverance from my justice? You have merely delayed the inevitable, wretched one."

"Watch your back, _kupo!_"

"Whatever you say, Sis." The brown-haired sister sighed.

"Well, now," Blake said as she and Tamaki entered the room and took a seat at the kotatsu. "Now that we're all calmed down, would someone please explain what happened?"

"All I did was ask her to stitch up a hole in my shirt," Hinata huffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "And she suddenly starts going full-chuuni on me!"

"Tch..." Kuroneko frowned at her. "Keep going, small one. Dig yourself a deeper hole."

"Quit leaving stuff out, _kupo!_"

Glancing at her for a moment, Blake turned to look the brown-haired girl in the eye. "Hinata…" She began as the younger girl started squirming in her seat. "How did you rip your shirt?"

"It's no big deal…" She mumbled.

"Child..." Kuroneko said lowly. "Speak the truth. What are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything!" Hinata insisted.

"Then why do you keep stroking your arm?"

Blinking in surprise, Blake looked down to see the younger girl freeze with her right hand brushing against her left arm. "Hinata…"

"I… I got into a fight, okay?" she muttered, refusing to look any of them in the eye.

Kuroneko's eyes narrowed. She reached over and pulled back the sleeve of Hinata's shirt, revealing several angry, red marks. Blake immediately stiffened upon catching sight of them.

"Tamaki, go play with Comet-kun," Kuroneko said tersely.

"Huh? But I—"

"Please." The second-eldest snapped her fingers, causing the bunny-like doll to come to life.

"Let's go play, Tamaki-chan!" the doll said energetically and began floating off down the hallway.

"W-Wait for me, Comet-kun!" Tamaki exclaimed, trotting after the newly-animated doll. The three waited until she was well out of earshot before Blake turned to her younger sister.

"...Who?" Was all she asked.

"Just some idiot kid I know from school," Hinata said quietly.

"And he attacked you?" Kuroneko demanded. The brown-haired girl flinched.

"...Not exactly," she muttered. "I kinda started it."

Blake sighed. "Hinata…"

"He was making racial slurs!" The younger sister defended her actions, her tail flicking angrily. "It started with the usual name-calling. Nothing I hadn't heard already, but then he called Mom a whore; asking if she had sex with an animal to make us." She turned to them with angry eyes. "Did you honestly expect me to let that go?!"

"Hinata," Ruri said with a soft sigh, finally dropping her Kuroneko persona. "I understand it makes you angry. The slurs, the name calling… Blake and I have heard it all before. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to incinerate them for it. But if you let the bullies win and resort to violence… it makes you no better than they are."

Completely unbeknownst to Ruri, Blake flinched at those words. Biting her tongue, the eldest sibling clenched her fists and gazed down into her lap.

"But…" Hinata said weakly. "It… It's so hard…"

"I know it is." Ruri sighed, enveloping the younger girl in a hug. "I'm not saying you shouldn't defend yourself, but to lash out in anger only proves them right. You'd be nothing more than a wild animal."

Once more, Blake flinched; averting her eyes as she felt a familiar shame bubbling within her.

"It's hard, I know," Ruri whispered as she gently rocked her sister back and forth. "But when you do, you can hold your head high knowing that you're better than they are. And you'll be all the stronger for it."

Blake could only watch as Ruri comforted the sobbing girl. Despite loving her sisters more than anything in the world, she had never been good at taking care of them; whether it be physically or emotionally. It was always Ruri who was taking care of their siblings; cooking, cleaning and sewing whenever their parents were away. Hell, the very clothes that Blake wore had been made by Ruri as a gift for her seventeenth birthday!

Fighting was truly the only thing she was good at; the only thing she could do to protect them. She wanted to make a better future for them to live in; one where they didn't have to be constantly bullied and harassed. That had been why she'd joined up with the White Fang all those years ago. And now that she'd left them, there was nothing left for her to fight. With her purpose taken from her, Blake had never felt more lost than she did now. It's why she clung so desperately to Kyousuke's plans to thwart the White Fang and why the total lack of communication was leaving her a nervous wreck.

Sighing deeply to herself, Blake stood and made her way towards the medicine cabinet. Pulling out a bottle of ointment, she strode back to her sisters. "Here," she said quietly, rubbing the salve on Hinata's arm. "It's not much, but it should help."

"T-Thanks..." the brown-haired girl muttered, wiping her eyes and sending her a watery grin. "So, did that boy ever call you back?"

Blake actually choked at that. "Wha… H-How do you know about that?"

"Oh, please!" Hinata scoffed; though her condescension was slightly ruined by the puffiness of her eyes. "I heard you ranting about it in your room all week. The walls are thin, y'know."

"A boy?" Ruri questioned, a smirk forming on her face as the somber mood quickly started to shift. "Oh, has a poor, unsuspecting male caught the eye of our beloved stalker-sister?"

"S-Stalker?!" the eldest sibling repeated indignantly. "I am _not _a stalker!"

"Oh?" Ruri's smirk widened in a very _Kuroneko _manner. "That's right. You just follow people from a distance; usually without telling them."

"That was _one _time, Ruri!" Blake moaned, slapping a hand against her forehead. "_One_ time! And looking out for my sister hardly counts as stalking!"

Said sister looked ready to retort when Blake's scroll suddenly began playing a J-pop song. Kuroneko's eyebrow arched upwards, recognizing it almost immediately. "...Isn't that the opening theme from _Boku no Pico_?"

Hinata turned to look at her incredulously. "You _watch_ that stuff?!"

Utterly humiliated, Blake just stood and strode out of the room, leaving her sisters to laugh at her expense. Entering the hallway, she began patting her cheeks to try to regain her composure. Once she'd successfully fought her flush down, she opened her scroll to see a familiar face on the other end of the call.

"Kyousuke?" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Hey, Blake." The boy greeted, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry I haven't contacted you in so long."

"You should be," Blake replied, sending him a dark glare. "I hope you realize how precious little time we have. We have less than a week and we haven't even begun coordinating our efforts."

"I know." Kyousuke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I was actually hoping to rectify that today, if you're free."

"I should be." The girl nodded, glancing back at her sisters now watching television.

"Good, cause there are some things we... _really_ need to talk about," he said, the nervousness in his voice giving her pause. "Can you meet me at the park in the residential district? It's usually pretty deserted, so there's little chance of being overheard."

"The park?" Blake mused. "Yeah. It's pretty close, actually."

"Great. I'll be there in about five minutes." And with that, he ended communication.

Despite her excitement at _finally_ getting something done, Blake took a moment to compose herself before re-entering the living room. "Hey." She called, gaining the attention of her sisters. "I'm going out for a bit. I'm not sure how long it's going to take, so don't wait for me."

"Oooh..." Hinata grinned. "Is it your special boyfriend?" When Blake didn't dignify her with a response, she just burst into a giggling fit. "Oh, it _is_, isn't it? I knew it!"

"It's not like that!"

Tamaki, who had returned while she was speaking to Kyousuke, furrowed her brow in thought. "Boy?" she questioned. "Is it the one that you were frasturbating over?"

"..."

"Pfffffft!" Hinata just burst into another fit of laughter that was soon joined by Ruri, much to Blake's horror. "O-Oh, I'm sure she's been doing plenty of '_frasturbating_'." Hinata choked out, wiping a tear from her eye.

"A-Anyway!" Blake cleared her throat, desperately trying to regain her composure. "I'm going now, don't wait up!"

"Just try not to scare him off, sister dearest," Kuroneko drawled.

"And no baby-making, _kupo!_" Mog added helpfully. Blake just stormed out, her entire face flushed red as the comment set off another round of laughter.

'_Kyousuke,'_ she fumed silently. '_You'd better have some damn good news._'

* * *

In a small park in the residential district, a black-haired boy shuddered as a prickling sensation made its way down his spine.

"You okay?" Lighting asked from her spot leaning against a tree.

"Yeah," Kyousuke murmured. "Just kinda nervous, I guess."

"What's there to be nervous about?" The pink-haired woman raised an eyebrow at him. "You've done nothing wrong."

"It's just… I feel like I betrayed her trust or something." He sighed. "I'm worried about how she'll react."

"Trust is a two-way street, Kyousuke," Lightning said, crossing her arms. "If she really trusted you, then she would understand that you did nothing wrong. It'll be fine."

"I hope so," the teen muttered as a black-clad individual came into sight just down the path. "Here she comes now."

Blake approached them slowly, her eyes darting towards the older woman every few seconds. "...Kyousuke," she greeted lowly. "What's going on here? Who is this?"

"Hey, Blake." He returned the greeting with a small sigh, running a hand through his hair. "This is what I wanted to talk about." Kyousuke gestured towards the Huntress in question. "This is my teacher, Lightning."

The girl's eyes widened and she turned her gaze upon the woman. Blake's eyes fell onto her pink hair, her soldier uniform and the gunblade holstered at her waist. "Master Farron?" she asked incredulously, inwardly berating herself for not recognizing the woman sooner. "She's your teacher?"

"I am," Lightning said neutrally. "And you must be Blake, my student's little co-conspirator."

"Could you have been any blunter?" Kyousuke demanded as the Faunus began taking several steps back, looking ready to run at any moment. "Wait, Blake! Please, just calm down."

"Y-You told her?"

"He didn't _tell _me anything," the pink-haired Huntress said. "I overheard your little pep-talk a week ago. The rest just fell into place."

"I'm really sorry." Kyousuke bowed deeply. "Please believe me when I say that I never planned for any of this to happen." Blake was silent for several minutes, and for a moment, he was certain she would run. But then…

"Ha…" The girl chuckled weakly. "I'm surprised you plan anything at all…"

Taking this as a good sign, Kyousuke went on. "But we can trust her, Blake," he said imploringly. "If you have any trust in me, then trust me on _this_. I've had a lot of time to reflect over the course of the week. Though I'm better than I was last week, I'm still a far-cry from peak condition. I realized that the two of us aren't going to be enough to pull this off. We need help, Blake. We need _her _help."

Once again, the Faunus was silent for a while. Her eyes darted towards Lightning, who had her arms crossed and was watching her stoically. She then returned her gaze to Kyousuke and the two locked eyes; hers searching, his determined.

Finally, Blake let out a small sigh. "Alright," she said quietly. "I trust you."

Kyousuke beamed at her. "Thank you."

"I'm simply returning the favor," she murmured, before looking him in the eye once more. "I assume that the two of you have a plan?"

"We were discussing a few possibilities on the way here." He nodded. "This morning, my family received the official invitation to Svernare's gala. On the invitation, it stated that we are allowed one guest."

"And that's my ticket in." Blake nodded.

"Actually, no," the teen admitted.

"_Excuse_ me?" The girl raised an eyebrow at him, her mouth twitching slightly. "Could you repeat that?"

"I'm going to be bringing Sensei with me as our guest," Kyousuke explained. "I already called my mom and she agreed."

"And just where am I in all of this?" Blake snapped, gritting her teeth. "You're just leaving me out to dry?"

"Calm down and let him finish." Lightning scowled.

"No one said you aren't getting in." Kyousuke nodded. "Like I said, we need Sensei if we're going to pull this off. She's a well-known and well-respected Huntress in all four kingdoms. No one will question her if she wants to bring her weapons into the ballroom. We'll be smuggling our weapons in through her and we'll also have the enormous advantage of having her support during all this."

"And that brings up another point," the Huntress began, her eyes boring into the younger girl's. "We need information on what to expect. From what I've been able to gather, I'm assuming that you're a White Fang turncoat. Anything you can tell us about the opposition?"

Blake swallowed the lump in her throat as the living legend continued staring at her. "Well, I already explained what I know to Kyousuke," she said. "We can expect the White Fang's elite members to strike at the president while the lower ranking members create a diversion and sow disorder in the party guests."

"Anyone specific?" Lightning prodded. "Any names?"

"I don't— wait," Blake paused, her brow furrowing. "For something this big, I can think of only one person they would send. One of their finest; the best assassin in the White Fang. I've never met her myself, but everyone knows who she is. Her name is—"

"...Anri…" The woman finished, her eyes narrowing into slits. The two teens turned to her in surprise.

"You know her?" Kyousuke asked. Lightning nodded curtly.

"I've had the displeasure of clashing with her a few times," she grunted. "The woman's not the _greatest _fighter, but direct combat isn't her specialty. She's a devious one and as slippery as an eel. _Dangerous _is the only word to describe her."

"Well, this just keeps getting better and better," the boy muttered, running a hand through his hair in aggravation. "Right when I think we've got one-up on them, we learn _this_."

"Always expect the unexpected," Lightning chided him. "The moment you get complacent is the moment you die."

Kyousuke flinched. "Yes, Sensei…"

"Ahem," Blake cleared her throat to regain their attention. "You never answered my question. How are you planning on getting me inside?"

"Ah…" The boy coughed nervously. "That's right…" Scratching his cheek, he gave her a sheepish smile. "...I just want you to understand that _none_ of this was my idea…"

"...How are you getting me in?" the Faunus repeated, a slight twinge of dread entering her voice.

"Well, you see…"

* * *

"This is utterly ridiculous!" Blake hissed, her entire face flushed red as she attempted to pull down the skirt of her maid uniform.

It had all been Lightning's idea. Since the Kousakas only had one guest pass, they couldn't bring both of them as guests. However, with Lightning's great prestige, it would be little trouble to get one of her servants into the party to tend to her. So, Blake just needed to pose as one of the pink-haired woman's underlings and she would get in no problem.

No, the problem was…

"Why does she have to stay with _me_?!" Kyousuke demanded as Yang, Ruby, Weiss and Kirino all stared at Faunus girl.

"Consider it part of your training, Schoolboy," Lightning said coolly, but he could have sworn he saw a malicious glint in her eyes. "My servant here will be monitoring your activities whilst I cannot."

Kyousuke glared at her, but the hidden message had been received. _'Use this chance to plan and coordinate. Don't fuck up.'_

"Yes, Sensei…" he muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose as Lightning took her leave.

"Pervert." Blake muttered beside him, still seething. "Molester. Beast. Lecher. **Fiend**. How am I going to explain this to my sisters? I can never become a bride now..."

Kyousuke just sighed. He could sense the impending explosion as the girls stared each other down. Honestly, a terrorist attack had never seemed more appealing than it did in that moment.

'_How much longer before things go back to normal?_'

* * *

**A/N: Wow, another chapter? I am on a **_**roll**_**! Don't expect this to last, though. I'm on spring break and since I'm too poor to go partying in Florida, I'm stuck here writing fanfiction. My life sucks sometimes. (#FirstWorldProblems).**

**I just wanted to thank those of you who offered their condolences for my dog. It really meant a lot to me.**

**It seems that last chapter was pretty unpopular. A lot of readers dropped the fic, which is a real bummer. I guess something or other just rubbed them the wrong way. Maybe it was Lightning's inclusion or the fact that I refuse to change Querv's name. Oh, well. To those of you still reading, I hope you're still find it enjoyable.**

**We get some more Blake and Kuroneko in this chapter, but mostly Blake. Their sisters make an appearance, too! Those are their canon names, BTW. Hinata is about 12 in this fic; she has brown hair and a tail. Tamaki is about 6; she has black hair and cat-ears. ****To be honest, I don't remember much about them, so I hope they're at least somewhat in-character.**

**Pic of Blake as a maido will be up on the site, as usual. Remember, I don't own any images featured.**

**God, are we STILL not at Beacon?! How long is this arc gonna take?! Will Weiss ever get to sing her damn song? Will Kyousuke's life ever return to normalcy? Will Blake ****ever** **become a bride? And w****here the _hell_ did Lightning get a maid uniform in Blake's size?!**

**Find out next time on, I Can't Be a Huntsman!**

**Sincerely, **

**\- Your King**


	9. The Gala - Part 1

**A/N: The Winter Schnee featured in this fic is an OC, as this was written well before she was announced at RTX. Considering the plot of the next two chapters, I couldn't just adjust a few things to make it fit with canon, so from this point onward, consider everything you read to be AU. Just a warning to any new readers.**

* * *

Kyousuke had to physically restrain himself from squirming as Weiss roughly adjusted his necktie. Shuffling awkwardly, he pulled at his collar, shivering slightly from the sensation of her fingers brushing against his bare skin.

"Will you stay still?" the white-haired girl demanded, scowling at him impatiently.

"Is this really necessary?" Kyousuke muttered.

"_Yes_," she said with a glare, pointedly tightening the necktie and causing him to wince. "I can't _believe _you waited until the last minute to start coordinating our wardrobes."

"I've been…" He paused and grimaced as she once again began attempting to readjust the tie. "...busy."

"Doing what, exactly?" Weiss growled out in aggravation. "Training? The gala is _tonight_, Kyousuke; just hours away! I'm sure your training with Master Farron can wait until it's over." She took a step back and examined his outfit only to immediately frown. "No, it doesn't match my dress at all."

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked, a confused expression on her face. "I _saw _your dress — it's just white. His tux is black; it'll match just fine."

"It's too dark." The heiress pointed out, turning her nose up at the redhead. "If my dress were _just _white, then his black tuxedo would be perfect. But my dress is _off_-white. His tuxedo needs to be a lighter tone to match; something like charcoal or steel-grey. Not that I wouldn't expect a simpleton like you to understand."

"There is _no _difference!" Ruby cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Well in _my _eyes and therefore, high society's eyes, there _is _a difference!" Weiss snapped, crossing her arms haughtily. "And that means his tuxedo needs to be charcoal!" She paused to send a superior look at Kyousuke. "Luckily for _you_, I foresaw something like this happening."

Weiss clapped her hands. "Belladonna!" The heiress called. "Take my scroll and contact Piers. Tell him to pick up the charcoal tuxedo I purchased and deliver it here immediately."

The uniform-clad girl twitched slightly. "...Yes, Miss Schnee," Blake said through grit teeth, sending Kyousuke a dark glare.

The boy in question flinched beneath her venomous stare. Despite the debacle that had occurred in Kyousuke's room two weeks ago, Weiss had taken Blake's arrival in stride — but not necessarily in a good way. The girl had been raised with servants since birth and had _very _high expectations when it came to hired help. As a result, Weiss had spent the last few days ordering the poor Faunus to perform menial tasks and criticizing any mistakes she made, despite Kyousuke's attempts to dissuade her from doing so.

Honestly, he was surprised that Blake had put up with it for this long. But perhaps this was because the girl had spent practically every night during her stay ranting to him about it. Kyousuke didn't argue with her, mostly because he still felt partially responsible for getting Blake into this situation in the first place.

"How do you even know his measurements?" Kirino demanded, turning to face them from where she was sitting on the couch, applying makeup.

"I _totally _saw her going through his underwear drawer earlier." Yang chuckled with a grin

"I did _no _such thing!" Weiss snapped indignantly. "I simply asked his mother for his general size and made scaled estimates based on his height."

"Ugh, math?" Ruby groaned. "That sounds _exhausting_. I would've just gone with the drawer searching." She paused as the room turned to stare at her. "...why are you looking at me like that?"

"...Anyway," The heiress shook her head. "Belladonna! Have you called Piers, yet?"

"_Yes_, Miss Schnee." The Faunus' cheek twitched slightly. "He said that he should arrive in just half an hour."

"Excellent!"

Kyousuke merely sighed, running a hand through his hair wearily. "Well, in that case, I'll be waiting in my room."

"Oh, no you don't!" Weiss snapped, halting him in his tracks. "That reminds me; we still need to comb your hair." The boy froze and fearfully turned to see the heiress stalking towards him with a strange gleam in her eyes.

"Er, th-that can wait till later, can't it?" he asked weakly, backpedaling away from her only to feel his back bump into something.

"That won't do, Master Kyousuke," Blake said from behind him, a sickeningly sweet smile taking shape on her face. "You need to look your best for the gala tonight, after all."

"Ooh!" Yang exclaimed, raising her hand excitedly. "Let me style it! Ruby, hand me that hair dryer!"

"S-Stay back!" Kyousuke cried. Backing away from the rapidly encroaching girls, he turned to his sister pleadingly. "Kirino, help me! _Please!_"

"What'd you say, Mom?" the faux-brunette shouted before standing up and wandering upstairs. "You want me to help you with your dress?"

'_Damn you!_' The boy silently cried to himself as the girls pounced on him.

* * *

In the dictionary, fear is defined as "an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous". _Fear_ is a base emotion induced by a perceived threat which causes people and animals to experience a primal urge to quickly pull back and hide themselves from whatever is threatening them. It is the most basic of survival mechanisms; occurring in response to situations that are perceived as a risk of a significant loss of health, wealth, status or anything held valuable, really.

In short, fear is a motivating factor arising from the ability to recognize a threat and leads to an almost uncontrollable urge to confront it or flee from it (also known as the fight-or-flight response).

And as of right now, Kyousuke is experiencing the worst fear of his young life. "W-What did you _do_ to me?"

"Stop touching it!" Weiss snapped from her seat next to him.

"It… It's poofy," the boy murmured as he stared at his reflection in the limousine window. "My hair is _poofy_. This... This isn't natural!"

"Relax, Kyousuke!" Yoshino chuckled, smoothing out a crease in her violet dress. "You look fine."

"I _look_ like a damn _Twilight_ vampire!" Kyousuke cried, his hand instinctively reaching up to correct the _monstrosity _sitting atop his head, only for Blake to swiftly catch his wrist.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Master Kyousuke," the Faunus said with a sweet smile. "After all the hard work Miss Schnee and the others put into making it look that way? For shame."

"B-But..." The teen merely gave her a pleading look that was coldly brushed aside. '_You are a cruel operator, Blake..._'

"That's enough, Kyousuke," his father grumbled, adjusting his necktie in the window. "It's one night. Tough it out."

"Yes, sir..." The boy sighed dejectedly as the limo finally came to a stop. They heard a low murmuring sound coming from outside that caused Kyousuke to furrow his brow in confusion. And then, the door opened and a cacophony of noise suddenly came bursting forth.

"Mister and Missus Kousaka," their chauffeur, Piers, said as he held the door open for them.

"Wait, what's happening?" Kyousuke exclaimed as his parents stepped out to thunderous roars of greeting.

"Calm down," Weiss said. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's just the paparazzi."

"_Paparazzi?!_" He repeated incredulously. "You never said anything about there being paparazzi here!"

"It kind of comes with the territory." The heiress huffed as Kirino stepped out of the vehicle. "I thought you would have realized that by now. Our parents are very well known, Kyousuke. It's only natural they have a following."

"Master Kousaka, Miss Schnee." Piers' voice cut off any retort he could have formulated. Swallowing nervously, Kyousuke slowly stepped out of the car and was met with several blinding flashes of light as the paparazzi snapped his photograph. So stunned was he, that he didn't notice Weiss step out after him until he felt her arms wrap around his bicep.

"Just stand there and look pretty for a few seconds." The heiress whispered, leaning onto him and smiling at the cameras. The boy only vaguely registered Blake closing the limo door behind them before it drove off. Since the girl would be unable to enter with them, she would need to wait and meet up with Lightning before she could come in.

Trying with all his might not to grimace, Kyousuke forced his face to smile as the cameras began snapping photos of the couple, shouting questions at them in a wild frenzy. And for a moment, he could have sworn he saw a man start foaming at the mouth while shrieking hysterically before collapsing, unconscious. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (which in reality was less than thirty seconds); Weiss gave him the okay to start walking. With a relieved sigh, he began leading the way in.

Before they could walk through the door, however, a large man stopped them and demanded to see their invitations; his hand twitching towards a gun holstered at his hip the entire time. Kyousuke simply showed the man the official, seal-bearing card Svernare had given him. The security guard examined the card for a long while before nodding curtly.

The duo entered the lobby to see a team of hotel staff waiting for them. It seemed that his family had already gone on ahead while they were busy posing for the paparazzi. "Mister Kousaka, Miss Schnee." A man greeted them with a polite bow. "The courtyard and ballroom are right this way. Please, follow me."

Kyousuke just sighed, prompting Weiss to elbow him in the ribs. "Keep smiling," the heiress hissed, a serene look gracing her face despite her actions. Resisting the urge to release yet another sigh, the black-haired teen resumed smiling and followed after the older man as he lead them further into the hotel.

As they walked, Kyousuke noticed a very prominent number of security guards patrolling the hallways. He was certain they had even passed by some cleverly hidden Spider Droids on their way towards the ballroom. The two teens eventually came to a large, spacious courtyard with various tables spread out surrounding a large fountain. A number of people were scattered about the tables, mingling and socializing amongst themselves. But the bellhop continued to lead them towards an enormous, grandiose set of double doors that were currently standing wide-open.

"Your father is waiting just inside, Miss Schnee," the man said, bowing briefly and taking his leave.

"Alright," Weiss nodded, turning to face her date. "Before we do anything, we need to greet my father. After that you'll be free to mingle for a while until my father calls for dinner to start."

"Well," Kyousuke mused. "Doesn't sound too bad, I suppose."

"And for heaven's sake, remember to smile!" she whispered, glaring at him pointedly. "Stop looking like you just bit into a lemon!"

"Alright, alright…" The boy snorted, his lip quirked upward slightly. The heiress rolled her eyes and began dragging him inside. Immediately, Kyousuke's attention was drawn to the high ceiling, which showcased an intricately painted scene of angels dancing in the heavens. An enormous chandelier hung down from the center, likening the sun as it bathed the entire room with a warm, golden glow. On the far side of the room, he saw a large stage, on which a live orchestra was playing a light, relaxing tune.

Glancing around, he saw dozens — no, _hundreds _of fellow partygoers milling about the ballroom, all with differing conversations ranging from the recent weather to the latest news scandal. On each of their faces, Kyousuke saw little else but plain joviality that was a stark contrast to the nervousness he felt fluttering in the pit of his stomach.

"Ah, Weiss, Kyousuke!" a familiar voice called out to them. The boy turned to see Svernare waving them down from further inside. But what _really_ caught his attention was the enormous machine standing not too far away from the man.

"Good evening, Father," Weiss smiled at the man as they approached. "And I wish you the happiest of birthdays."

"It's good to see you again, sir," Kyousuke nodded, shaking his hand. "And a happy birthday, as well. I hope you've been well?"

"Splendid, absolutely marvelous." The man beamed at them; specifically, at the boy's left arm, which Weiss was still hanging off of. "You've come just in time. I was planning on calling for dinner to start soon."

"Have all the other guests already arrived?" the white-haired girl asked curiously.

"We're still waiting for a few stragglers," Svernare admitted. "But I'm told they should be here shortly. Please, do enjoy yourselves until then."

"I think I'll stay with you for a while longer, Father," Weiss said before turning to her date. "Why don't you go mingle with the crowd? I'm sure there is someone here that will catch your interest well enough."

In response, Kyousuke glanced at the machine once again, which her father quickly caught onto. "I see you've noticed my… companion here," the President said with a wide smile. "It's the latest droid from the Schnee Company; the Atlesian Paladin-290. The finest we have to offer."

"Ah..." The boy murmured. "So, my mom designed it, then?"

"But of course." Svernare chuckled, his smile turning into a grin. "Anything that woman touches turns to gold. It's still having some kinks worked out, but already it has surpassed all previous models and designs. I brought it here for an... early showcase."

"I see," Kyousuke mused. "Speaking of my mother, did you see which way my family wandered off to, sir?"

The man pointed past the crowds of people. "Your family made their way over to the tables on the far side of the room," he explained. "You will find your seat clearly marked with a name card in front of it. You'll be sitting between Yoshino and Weiss."

"Thank you, sir."

"I'll join you again shortly, _Darling_," Weiss said rather loudly, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek, much to his embarrassment, since several onlookers giggled at the display.

The teen just nodded before quickly taking his leave. He weaved his way through the throngs of people, muttering quiet apologies to anyone he bumped into. When he finally emerged on the other side several minutes later, he was nearly breathless.

"Took you long enough," the familiar voice of his sister drawled. "What's got _your_ panties in a bunch?"

"Thanks for leaving us back there," Kyousuke said sarcastically, ignoring the question entirely as he attempted to fight down his flush.

"That's what you get for being so slow," Kirino huffed, crossing her arms. She currently wore a sleeveless, baby-blue dress that complimented her eyes quite well.

"It's hardly _my _fault Weiss wanted to pose for the paparazzi!" the boy exclaimed before blushing at the mention of the heiress; the sensation of her lips still fresh on his mind. Kirino raised an eyebrow at his rapidly reddening face and opened her mouth to comment. Fortunately for Kyousuke, she was cut off by a vaguely familiar voice.

"K-Kyousuke-shi? Kiririn-shi?" The two teens turned to see a startlingly beautiful girl wearing an emerald green dress. She stood before them, nervously fingering her green hair and shuffling awkwardly as they gaped at her.

"I-I'm sorry," Kyousuke coughed. "But, have we met before?"

Kirino, meanwhile, just stared at the girl with a disbelieving expression on her face. "No way..." she murmured in shock. "_Saori?_ Is that you?"

Kyousuke's eyes widened and he turned to the girl in utter shock. "Saori?" he repeated incredulously. "As in Saori _Bajeena_?!"

"...Do you know these two, Saori?" a green-haired man questioned.

It was only then did the boy finally notice the other people standing behind the girl. A rather scruffy-looking green-haired man stood at the forefront; obviously her father. Standing behind him was a tall man with salt-and-pepper hair and wearing a white military uniform. And beside the tall man was a short, orange-haired girl with bright green eyes that was wearing a simple white dress.

"Ah, Father," Saori said with a nervous smile. "These are friends of mine; Kirino and Kyousuke Kousaka."

"Kyousuke Kousaka?" The other, taller man questioned, his eyes lighting up in recognition. "So, you're the one, eh...?"

"Er... I'm sorry?"

"Oh!" The man jumped slightly. "Forgive me. My name is James Ironwood. I'm headmaster of the Atlesian Academy for Gifted Youth, as well as General of the Army. I happen to work quite closely with Svernare."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Kyousuke said, shaking his hand.

"And I, you." Ironwood nodded, giving him a curious once-over. "I've heard quite a few things about you, young man. You're the son of the brilliant Yoshino Kousaka and the valiant Daisuke Kousaka, apprentice of the legendary Master Farron, the fiancé of Weiss Schnee and a potential future executive of the Schnee Company. Why, you've even caught the attention of my old friend, Ozpin."

"I-I suppose so," the boy muttered, slightly unnerved by the extent of his knowledge.

"You have some _very_ powerful connections, Mister Kousaka," he continued before shaking his head. "Ah, pardon my dreadful manners. I haven't even introduced my daughter yet, have I?"

"Greetings and salutations," the redhead suddenly exclaimed, offering the teen a salute. "My designation— I mean, my _name_ is Penny."

Smiling somewhat awkwardly, Kyousuke nodded at her. "...Nice to meet you, Penny,"

"It is indeed nice to meet you, my fellow teenagers!" the girl said enthusiastically. "I hope to have many heartfelt conversations with you."

"What the hell?" Kirino muttered, staring at the girl strangely.

"...Right," Kyousuke sighed, shaking his head bemusedly. "Whatever you say, buddy."

Suddenly, Penny's eyes widened to the size of saucers. She quickly leaned forward, prompting the boy to take an alarmed step back. "Buddy?" she repeated, an eager expression of her face. "The thesaurus defines the word '_buddy_' as a synonym for '_friend_'. Does that make us _friends_?"

"Uh, I— er..." Kyousuke stuttered, glancing at Kirino, who shook her head furiously. "I... guess?" His sister facepalmed.

"Fan-_tastic_!" Penny turned to her father with a wide, beaming smile. "Father, I have made my first boyfriend!" Kyousuke choked slightly while Kirino just facepalmed even harder.

"It seems you have, Penny." Ironwood chuckled, sending Kyousuke a wink, clearly asking him to just play along. "But let's not bother him too much. Dinner should be starting soon, after all. You can talk after we eat."

"Yes, Father." The girl turned and waved at him as the two took their leave. "I will converse with you later, friend!"

"Well, I'll just leave you to talk to your friends, Saori," the green-haired man said after a while. "I have some... _business_ to take care of."

"Father, I know you two are rivals and everything, but _please_ don't pick a fight on Svernare-san's birthday!" Saori exclaimed in exasperation.

"No promises!" The man chuckled as he walked off. "That bastard one-upped me last time. I have to get him back somehow!"

"Just keep it tame!" She sighed, shaking her head before turning to the siblings sheepishly. "I'm sorry about all of that."

"It's fine," Kyousuke assured her. "But in all honesty, I'm surprised to see you here."

"Haha!" The girl giggled. "Did you think _Bajeena_ was my actual name?"

"Honestly? Kind of," he said sheepishly. "It kinda fits your character. Though, I must admit, you seem like a completely different person."

"So, who are you, really?" Kirino questioned, watching as Saori's father began arguing with Svernare on the other side of the room. "You said your old man was rivals with the President."

"Her name is Saori Makishima," a familiar voice said. "Heiress to Makishima Robotics." The trio turned to see Weiss striding towards them. Kyousuke blinked in surprise upon seeing her; his confusion outweighing his shock at discovering Saori's true identity.

"Did you change?" he asked, staring at Weiss' black dress. She'd been wearing white when they got here...

"Just a quick change for the performance, Darling." The heiress explained before sauntering over to him and draping her arms across his shoulders. "I missed you."

"W-Weiss?" Kyousuke stuttered, his entire face going red. There was something... off about her. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on...

"Ugh, really?" Kirino grunted, throwing a disgusted look at them. "Get a room, you two. Let's go, Saori."

"Er, right..." The green-haired girl followed after her, her face flushed red.

"W-What are you doing?" The boy yelped as the white-haired girl began nibbling his neck.

"What's wrong, Darling?" she whispered. "Feeling shy?" The girl gasped in shock however, when Kyousuke suddenly shoved her off. "D-Darling?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"Whatever do you mean, Darling?"

"Cut the crap!" Kyousuke snapped. "Weiss doesn't call me 'Darling' when we're alone. That, and your scar is on the wrong side. I can't believe I didn't notice it right away. You could have at least _tried_ to get that part correct."

The girl froze for a moment before a scowl formed on her face. "Tch!" She clicked her tongue in annoyance, wiping the admittedly realistic-looking makeup off her right eye. "Of course it was this grotesque feature that ruined my little deception."

"You haven't answered my question," the boy growled.

"Isn't it obvious?" She smirked, undoing her ponytail and allowing her hair to cascade around her face. "I'm—"

"_Winter!_" An angry voiced shouted and Kyousuke turned to see the _real_ Weiss storming towards them. "Just what do you think you're doing?!"

The black-haired teen actually had to do a double take. Besides their choice in clothes and hair-styles the two girls were completely identical; the only real way to tell them apart being the scar Weiss sported over her left eye.

"Why, I'm just getting to know my _precious_ future brother-in-law, sister dearest," the imposter said with a mocking smile.

"While masquerading as me?" Weiss demanded, crossing her arms.

"We were getting to know each other _very_ well." Winter chuckled, licking her lips and sending the boy a lascivious wink. The boy blushed, which the heiress immediately caught.

Gritting her teeth, Weiss glared at her twin. "Back off, Winter," she said lowly. "Don't make me inform Father of this."

"Tch!" The black-clad girl scowled. "That's your answer to everything, isn't it? Father this, Father that." Her eyes narrowed into slits. "Your position as heiress is the only thing you have over me. It's the _only _reason he favors you so much."

"Winter...!"

The girl in black just scoffed and walked past her. But as she did, Winter leaned over and whispered into her sister's ear. "One day," she said lowly. "I'll prove to him — to _everyone _— that _I_ deserve to be his heir."

Weiss just grit her teeth and glared daggers at her retreating back. Kyousuke watched this all play out with some concern. "What was that all about?"

"It..." She sighed, shaking her head wearily. "It's nothing you need to worry about." The heiress reached over and grabbed his arm. "Come on, dinner will be starting soon. Let's find our seats."

"You never told me you were twins," Kyousuke noted. "Identical at that."

"Well, as you can see, we're not exactly close," Weiss countered.

"Granted," he admitted as the two weaved through the crowds of people looking for their seats. For a moment, Kyousuke was certain he caught a flash of pink hair before it disappeared into the crowd. Satisfied that his teacher had arrived, he followed Weiss until they came across a table shared by both their families.

Winter was pointedly ignoring them, which Weiss had no problems with. Taking a seat next to his mother, the two teens watched as dozens of waiters and waitresses began to disperse throughout the room, their arms laden with food.

"Having fun?" Yoshino asked with a small smile as a waiter placed a steak in front of each of them.

Glancing at Saori across the room, then at Penny a few tables over and finally at Winter just a few seats away, Kyousuke sighed. "As much as I can be..." he muttered before digging into his food. The night had only just begun, after all. No sense going through it on empty.

* * *

Sometime later, after dinner was well underway and the guests were once again chatting amongst themselves, Kyousuke glanced up from his plate as Svernare tapped a spoon against his wine glass.

"Hello, family, friends and colleagues!" the man said in a loud, clear voice that caught the attention of everyone in the room. "I thank you all for coming on this very special day. As many of you know, today is the day of my birth. But it is much more than that. Today is a celebration not only of my life, but a celebration of the achievements of my daughters."

Svernare turned to Winter and Weiss. "As many of you know, my daughters have graduated high school with the highest marks. Winter had the distinction of graduating second in her year, surpassed only by her sister." Kyousuke watched as the girl twitched slightly. With a slightly strained smile, she stood and curtseyed to the applause of the audience.

"She had the opportunity to study anywhere in the world," Svernare continued. "But she chose to attend the Atlesian Academy for Gifted Youth in order to stay close to home so she may assist me in my work." This time, Winter smiled genuinely and nodded at the audience's applause. "James, please. Look after her."

"Will do." Ironwood smiled pleasantly from several tables away. Nodding at him gratefully, Svernare turned to his other daughter and her date.

"And then, there is Weiss," he said with a smile. "She graduated as valedictorian of her class, never faltering for a second. But she is not alone. With her tonight is her boyfriend and fiancé, Kyousuke. Tonight is not just a celebration of their past accomplishments, but of their future together."

Kyousuke felt Weiss nudge him and quickly rose to his feet alongside her. The audience let out a loud cheer as the girl curtseyed. Beside her, the boy just bowed awkwardly. "And the two of them have a bright future indeed!" Svernare went on as they sat down. "For they have both been accepted into the prestigious Beacon Academy!"

He paused as the audience let out another round of applause and turned to the boy in question. "Kyousuke, you have risked life and limb for Weiss in the past." The man nodded in acknowledgement. "And while I can never in good conscience ask this of you again, I request that you continue to watch over her."

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Kyousuke nodded. "I will, sir."

"Thank you," Svernare smiled before turning to the room as a whole and raising his glass. "To my daughters. To our friendships, health and prosperity."

"And to you!" Yoshino exclaimed with smile, raising her own glass. Kyousuke did likewise, as did everyone around him. "Happy birthday!" The room cheered.

The man chuckled. "Yes, thank you," he said, nodding gratefully. "Now, before our night's entertainment takes the stage, my daughter, Weiss — in accordance to a tradition started by my late wife — will be performing what I'm told is a very special song in just a few minutes."

The aforementioned girl stood and curtseyed with a faint smile on her face. She nodded at Kyousuke before making her way towards the stage and disappearing behind the drawn curtains. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Winter raising an eyebrow.

"Special song…?" she repeated in a low murmur.

'_Oh_," the boy thought mildly. '_She's going to hate Weiss even more after this._' All around him, people began making their way towards the stage to get a closer view of the performance. Kyousuke and his family remained where they were, as they already had a front row seat next to Svernare.

"A performance, huh?" a familiar voice mused from right next to him.

"Sensei." Kyousuke greeted, turning to face the woman, only for his jaw to drop. The pink-haired Huntress currently wore a long, elegant, mauve-colored dress and elbow-length gloves. Surprisingly frilly, the dress split down the center of her torso and was adorned with decorative flowers. Beneath the dress was a black corset and on her wrist was a blue corsage. Her outfit was rounded off by a pair of short, purple heels.

"You can stop gaping now," Lightning said, an annoyed expression on her face. Blake stood beside her, still clad in her maid uniform and was quietly scanning the crowds of people for signs of a disturbance.

"S-Sorry!" The boy stuttered, his mind still recovering from a critical failure. "I just… wasn't expecting you to be so... fancied up."

"If the situation calls for it, then that's what I'll do," she said simply. "This is the most practical dress I own."

"How is this in _any _way practical?" Kyousuke asked incredulously, staring at the long, folded skirt in particular.

"The skirt detaches easily enough," Lightning explained after following his gaze, pointing out a particular seam hidden beneath one of the folds. "And the entire thing is reinforced and weaved together with Dust."

"Ah…" It was always a shock to people who met her. From the way his teacher was always toting her gunblade about, they would never suspect that Lightning was an adept Dust Mage. It was her versatility and unpredictability that made her so dangerous, as she could seamlessly flow from melee to magic in the blink of an eye.

But she wasn't invincible. Despite what her reputation may say about her, Lightning had no ultimate trump card that ensured victory. Kyousuke had never seen his teacher use her semblance before, but she assured him that it was nothing special. She had earned her prestige and notoriety through sheer skill and tenacity. She was only human; with all the flaws and weaknesses that came with it. And that's what worried Kyousuke the most. Especially with this 'Anri' person Blake had warned them of. Lightning had brushed his concerns aside, but he couldn't help but feel there was something she wasn't telling him.

Kyousuke was about to address her about this when she suddenly tossed a set of keys at him. "Here." She grunted. "I left a bit of a present in your car; couldn't do a damn thing about the radio, though."

The teen opened his mouth to question her, but a hush suddenly fell over the crowd and drew his attention to the stage for a moment. Kyousuke turned back to Lightning, only to see her and Blake already wandering off to continue patrolling the area. Shaking his head, he returned his attention to the stage to see the curtains slowly opening to reveal Weiss standing before a lone pianist. The white-haired girl stepped forward to a single microphone stand.

"This song was written by my mother, Yuki," she said softly. Out of the corner of his eye, Kyousuke saw Svernare stiffen in shock. "It was dedicated to the love of her life. Father… this is for you. This is '_Eyes on Me_'."

The room slowly darkened as the lone pianist began to play the opening notes. An air of softness washed over the room and Kyousuke watched with baited breath as several string instruments began to play. A small group of wind instruments led the song into a quick flourish before dying down once more. With little more than a piano for support, Weiss opened her mouth and softly sang.

_Whenever sang my songs_

_On the stage, on my own._

_Whenever said my words…_

_Wishing they would be heard._

_I saw you smiling at me_

_Was it real or just my fantasy?_

_You'd always be there in the corner_

_Of this tiny little bar._

Kyousuke watched as Weiss turned to her father, who was too stunned to do anything but gape at her. The wind and string sections slowly began to pick up again, following along and supporting the melody.

_I kind of liked it your way_

_How you shyly placed your eyes on me_

_Did you ever know_

_That I had mine on you?_

The entire room could only stare in awe as the girl let out a small, but beautiful smile.

_Darling, so there you are_

_With that look on your face_

_As if you're never hurt_

_As if you're never down._

_Shall I be the one for you_

_Who pinches you softly, but sure_

_If frown is shown then_

_You will know that you are no dreamer…_

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Yoshino's whispered voice startled Kyousuke. "You can hear her feelings shining through."

"Yeah…" he murmured. "We spent a long time going through her mother's journals to capture her emotions."

"That isn't it." His mother shook her head. "Look again; closer this time. _Really_ look at her." Kyousuke did so, only to immediately freeze as he locked eyes with the girl and he felt all the breath leave his body as she smiled at him.

_Darling, so share with me_

_Your love if you have enough_

_Your tears if you're holding back_

_Or pain if that's what it is_

The black-haired teen could only gape as Weiss stared directly at him, holding her hand out — as though reaching out to him.

_How can I let you know_

_I'm more than the dress and the voice?_

_Just reach me out then_

_You would know that you are not dreaming_

Kyousuke felt chills riding up his spine as the orchestra began building and building. The entire room held their breath, completely enraptured by the show of pure emotion on stage.

But he saw none of this. He didn't see the crowd's rising anticipation for the crescendo. He didn't see Svernare dabbing his eye as he shed silent tears or Yoshino's beaming smile or even Winter's furious glare. No, all he could see was the girl in front of him as she sung her heart out to them.

_How can I let you know_

_I'm more than the dress and the voice?_

_Just reach me out then_

_You would know that you are not dreaming…_

The boy felt the goose bumps rising on his skin as she whispered those final words. Silence filled the hall for only a few brief seconds. It was only when Weiss gave an elegant curtsey did the room finally erupt into applause. All around him, the audience cheered and whistled for the girl, but Kyousuke could only clap numbly, still utterly dumbfounded. He had heard her sing dozens of time in practice. But her performance just now… It was almost otherworldly.

"No matter how hard you try to emulate someone, you'll fall short unless it comes from the heart," Yoshino whispered to him. "_That_ came from her heart. Those were Weiss' words tonight, not Yuki's."

"What do you—"

"Or not." His mother just shook her head and let out a loud belly-laugh. "What nonsense am I spouting now? I must be losing it or something."

Kyousuke just frowned at her. He would have pressed for more information had he not noticed Weiss stepping off the stage. Svernare was quick to approach the girl and — completely disregarding any form of decorum — embraced her tightly.

"Thank you for that, Weiss," the man murmured. "That… That was the greatest gift you could have given me."

"I can hardly take all the credit, Father," Weiss said with a smile.

"Of course." Svernare chuckled knowingly as the live orchestra slowly returned to the stage. The man turned to face the room at large. "Well, after such a breathtaking performance, I believe my daughter has earned the honor of first dance."

His remark was met with cheers of agreement from the crowd. "Looks like that's your cue, Sweetheart," Yoshino whispered, poking him in the back.

Startled, Kyousuke turned with wide eyes to see Weiss and Svernare staring at him expectantly. Swallowing nervously, he boy approached her and held out his hand. The heiress smiled and took it while giving him a one-handed curtsey. As he led her into the center of the floor, the orchestra began playing an instrumental, 3/4 time version of Yuki's song; the perfect rhythm for a waltz. Several other young couples took the floor as well, but leaving the two teens in the center.

"Ready?" Weiss whispered.

"No," Kyousuke muttered back as all eyes fell on them. Resisting the urge to grimace, he gently placed one hand on her hip while she laid hers on his shoulder. "I'm suddenly drawing a blank here..."

Sighing softly, Weiss had to physically restrain herself from facepalming. "Fine," she murmured. "Just try to follow my lead. But you _need _to remember. They'll be able to tell if I'm leading the entire time." Trusting her judgment for now, Kyousuke just followed her as she began to move. Desperately trying not to misstep, he glanced down at his feet.

"Eyes up here!" she whispered, glaring at him as they narrowly avoided bumping into another couple. "Pay attention before you—" Backing up slightly, Kyousuke started as he felt his back bump into someone. "I'm sorry," he muttered as the couple gave him a strange look. The boy could hear a few chuckles coming from somewhere in the crowd.

"Oh, come on!" Weiss hissed at him, her face reddening in embarrassment. "I thought you said you knew how to dance!" Gritting his teeth, Kyousuke glared at her for a moment before taking a deep breath as the orchestra began to pick up the pace. He stopped them in the center of the dance floor, much to her surprise.

The teen took a step back, her hand in his and began leading the waltz. Weiss allowed her surprise to last for only a few moments before following his lead. Kyousuke forced himself to stop _thinking_. He'd done this dozens of times before; he knew all the steps. Now, he just needed to _do _it.

The two lost themselves in their dance, the motions and steps coming easily to both of them. They stepped, they spun, they waltzed and danced freely; the world around them coming to a standstill as they did. Kyousuke forced himself to ignore everything around him, his mind focusing only on the girl in his arms. As the music reached its crescendo, they spun away from one another for but a moment before coming together again, their faces just inches apart.

The two locked eyes for several moments until the sound of applause reached their ears. Flushing slightly, Kyousuke sheepishly offered her his arm. Smiling at him, she took the proffered limb and he led her back to the table.

"Not bad," she whispered, nodding in approval. "Next time, be sure to dance like that from the start."

"Next time?" the boy repeated fearfully.

"Of course." The heiress smirked at him. "Did you think this was a one-time affair? We'll have to appear at multiple social functions together in the future."

"Why do I suddenly feel exhausted?" Kyousuke moaned quietly to himself.

"Oh, it wasn't _that _bad." Weiss quipped, lightly smacking his shoulder.

Glancing at the soft smile on the white-haired girl's face, Kyousuke sighed. "No, it wasn't." He admitted with a tiny smile of his own.

"Kyousuke-shi!" a familiar voice called out. The boy turned to see Saori leading a reluctant Kirino and an eager Penny over to them. "I didn't know you were such a fantastic dancer!"

"Is that Saori Makishima?" Weiss asked in shock. "How do you know her?"

"It's a long story," Kyousuke said, a bemused expression making its way onto his face.

"Greetings, Friend-Kyousuke!" Penny exclaimed. "Your ability to move in time with music was quite pleasant to watch."

"Those first few blunders aside, that is." Kirino smirked at him.

"Oh, and hello to you too, Weiss-shi." The green-haired girl said with a wide smile.

"Makishima." The heiress nodded with a cool formality. "Do you speak to everyone you meet with such brusque familiarity?"

"Pretty much," Saori admitted, prompting Weiss to blink in surprise. "I've never really been one for the ojou-sama archetype but I can certainly pull it off if the situation demands it."

"...Archetype...?" Weiss muttered in confusion. "Ojou... what...?"

Without warning the green-haired girl dropped her cattish expression and gave them all a serene smile. "Why, hello, Weiss," Saori said with an elegant curtsey. "That was quite the performance you put on tonight. And I _must _say that your waltzing skills are simply divine. I trust you're doing well this evening?" Saori paused and gave her a toothy grin. "Was that more to your liking?"

"Well, I... er..."

"Ooh! Let me try!" Penny frowned in thought for a moment before an 'aha!' expression took shape on her face. "Greetings, Miss Weiss! Your ability to move in time with music was quite pleasant to watch."

"...That's exactly what you just said to my brother," Kirino deadpanned.

"Ah." The girl paused before nodding. "So it was."

Weiss just sighed. "You certainly have some... interesting friends, Kyousuke," she said, rubbing the bridge of her nose before giving the redhead a curious once-over. "So, may I ask who you are?"

"My name is Penny," the girl said enthusiastically. "I am Kyousuke's buddy-friend!"

"She's Ironwood's kid," Kyousuke elaborated.

"General Ironwood?" Weiss asked in surprise. "I wasn't even aware he _had_ a daughter."

"Uh, yes!" Penny exclaimed in an odd tone of voice that caused the boy to frown in confusion. "My father did that to... protect me! Yes, until I was able to defend myself properly."

"Defend yourself?" Kirino repeated, raising an eyebrow at her. "You?"

"That's right!" Penny gave them all a happy salute. "I'm combat-ready!"

"...Right," Weiss just sighed as the beginnings of a headache began creeping through her skull. "Well—"

"Weiss." Another voice grunted. The girl in question just groaned as she turned to glare at the person who'd spoken.

"What now, Winter?" Her sister simply scowled at her deeply.

"Believe me; I wouldn't be over here unless I had to." The girl growled, crossing her arms defiantly. "But father has something he wants us to take care of for him."

"Right now?" Weiss demanded. "Is it really so urgent that it requires attention _now_?"

"Does it look like I can read his mind?" Winter practically spat. "_You're_ his favorite, not me, remember?"

"Winter, you—" The heiress grimaced and leaned forward to whisper. "I realize that the two of us don't exactly get along, but I would _appreciate _it if you didn't air our dirty laundry in front of guests."

"Whatever."

Weiss just sighed, massaging her temples. She turned to the group, who had begun shuffling awkwardly when the two began arguing. "I apologize for this," she said, dipping her head slightly. "But it seems I'll have to take my leave for the time being."

"See you later," Kyousuke muttered as the two girls took their leave, whispering furiously to each other all the while. The remaining group stood in awkward silence for several moments.

"Well, that was… interesting," Kirino said after a while.

"That's one way of putting it." The boy chuckled. "I can think of a few others." He shook his head bemusedly. "So, are you girls enjoying yourselves so far?"

"Are you kidding?" His sister scoffed. "This is the lamest party I've ever been to."

"Perhaps it's not the most carefree party in the world." Saori reasoned. "But it has its charms, don't you think? Its main attraction is the dancing, after all."

"I was never program— I mean _taught_!" Penny hastily exclaimed. "I was never taught to dance. Father said that it was unnecessary, given my directive. Er— goals!"

Saori turned to her in shock while the two siblings just gave her an odd look. "Never taught?" The green-haired heiress repeated, a look of horror on her face. "Oh, that simply won't do, Penny-shi! All young girls must know how to dance; our maidenhood demands it!" Saori grabbed the girl by the hand and began dragging her off to the dance floor.

"Where are we going, Companion-Saori?" Penny questioned.

"I'm going to teach you how to dance!" The other girl said with a grin. Kyousuke and Kirino watched them go.

"...There's something off about her..." The boy murmured.

"Which one?" His sister snorted. "They're both pretty weird if you ask me."

"But you're still friends with them."

"I'm friends with _Saori_," she said with a small huff. "The other one is all on you."

"Gee, thanks," Kyousuke grumbled. It wasn't that Penny was a bad girl; far from it. She actually seemed to be very sweet. There was just... something about her that was bugging him. Something he couldn't quite place his finger on.

"Pardon me..." a smooth, melodious voice said from behind him. Startled, the two teens spun around, only to gape in shock as their eyes met with a stunningly beautiful woman wearing a vibrant red kimono. The mysterious beauty had long, black hair tied into a bun that was held in place by an ornamental kanzashi hairpin as well as a pair of shimmering gold eyes. Perched on the side of her head was a strange, white and red mask in the shape of a fox's face.

But far from being entranced by her beauty, Kyousuke found himself on edge as her eyes seemed to pierce through him. There was something... unnerving about her; like a predator waiting to pounce. Whoever this woman was, she was not to be trifled with; that much was clear.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?"

"Oh, no." The woman smiled in a way that would have been disarming had Kyousuke not been so on-edge. "But I know of _you_, Kyousuke-kun."

"There seem to be quite a few people who '_know of me_' recently," the boy said dryly. The beauty just laughed, delicately covering her mouth as she did.

"Yes, I'm not surprised." She nodded with a delicate smile. "Your name seems to be floating around quite a bit these days."

"I hate to be rude," Kirino broke in, although her tone indicated the exact opposite. "But I don't believe you've introduced yourself."

"Oh, I'm no one special, imouto-chan," The woman waved the girl off, much to her irritation. "Unlike Kyousuke-kun and his esteemed instructor."

The teen's eyes widened for a moment before a frown overtook his face. "You know Sensei?"

"Ah, yes." She smiled, her eyes glancing to the side momentarily. Kyousuke followed her gaze to see Lightning standing not too far away from Svernare, who was busy chatting with his mother. The pink-haired Huntress turned towards him for a moment, only for her eyes to widen as she spotted the woman next to him. Without warning, she began shoving people out of her way as she took off towards them at an alarming pace.

"Your sensei and I go back quite a ways, _Kyousuke-kun_." The teen felt his entire body lock-up as the woman whispered just inches away from his ear. "You remind me of her younger-self so much. Just as talented... Just as tenacious... And just as _naive_."

His eyes narrowing into slits, Kyousuke made to spin around and snarl at her to back off. He hadn't even been able to start the motions before all hell broke loose as an enormous explosion wracked the entirety of the ballroom, sending him flying into a nearby wall. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the woman leaning over him, a previously hidden fox-tail swishing behind her as a pair of black ears twitched in amusement.

* * *

**A/N: I lied. Things will not be wrapped up this chapter. Luckily for you, I have the majority of next chapter already written. It just needs to be polished up a bit. I was just going to post it as one chapter, but it's starting to get WAY too long; easily over 12k words. So, here you go: Part 1.**

**As you can probably tell, shit's about to hit the fan. That is, if it hasn't already. **

**We've also been introduced to Winter! I based her character off alter!Weiss by VnixxiR. You can find her under Misc. Characters on my site. VnixxiR, if for some strange reason you happen to be reading this, know that no infringement was intended and you have been properly credited for your brilliant work. Please, have mercy on this feeble and cowardly one.**

**Lightning's dress is based off her "Midnight Mauve" outfit in LRFFXIII. A reference picture will be up in her image gallery.**

**Anri will be up under Villains. She definitely is NOT a cheap rip off of Ahri from LoL. She is NOT her evil twin. (The author definitely is NOT being heavily sarcastic when he says this.)**

**Yes, Yuki's song was "Eyes on Me". I thought I made that pretty obvious. It was even on my site. Why were people still asking me what it was? NOTE: the full song was not featured in this chapter, but let's just pretend that it was. This isn't a songfic, after all.**

**And it looks like Weiss takes the lead once again. (I am not a fanboy.) You can find the song Kyousuke and Weiss danced to under Music. It's called "Waltz for the Moon". (I swear, I'm not a fanboy.) ****Just who is Anri? And what is her connection to Lightning? Will this damn arc EVER end? You'll have to find out next time.**

**\- Your King**


	10. The Gala - Part 2 (Finale)

Screaming. Gunfire. The clashing of steel. Those were the only sounds echoing through Kyousuke's still-ringing eardrums as he lay sprawled across the rubble-strewn ground. With a pained groan, he propped himself up on his elbows. Forcing his eyes open, all he could see were blurry outlines of moving figures as guests attempted to evacuate the hall and security forces clashed with their aggressors. Chaos. That was the only word to describe the situation he suddenly found himself in.

"Wh-What the hell?!" Kirino shouted from beside him. Following her gaze, Kyousuke saw the Atlesian Paladin that Svernare had brought as a demonstration. The mecha was brandishing one of its arm cannons at a small security detachment, smoke still rising from the barrel. That must have been what caused the explosion that knocked him out.

"H-How did they commandeer it?" the boy hissed, grimacing as he shoved a large piece of debris off himself and stood on unsteady legs. "No; more importantly, how did they get inside in the first place?!"

"What the hell is going on?" his sister demanded, shakily getting to her feet as well.

"It's the White Fang." Kyousuke explained, only for his eyes to widen as a stray plasma bolt nearly blasted him in the face. He quickly grabbed his sister by the arm and took cover behind an upturned table. "They're attacking the hotel!"

"The White Fang?" Kirino paled slightly. "But… how? The entire premises was locked down _tight_. They would have had to fight their way through security to get in!"

"That's what _I _want to know," he said with a grimace.

"Kyousuke!" A voice snarled. The boy turned to see a livid Lightning rushing towards them, dragging a dirty and shell-shocked Svernare with her. Slung across her shoulder was a large duffel bag which she reached inside of and tossed his gunblade towards him and — surprisingly enough — Kirino's bowsword as well. "Where is she?"

"Wha— I— When—" His sister sputtered, staring down at the weapon in her hands. "Starseeker? But how did you—"

Ignoring her questions, Kyousuke glanced around, searching for the mysterious woman he'd been speaking to earlier only to find that she had disappeared in the chaos. "I-I don't know..." he muttered.

"Damn it!" The pinked-haired Huntress snarled. She reached down and tore most of her skirt off, revealing several hidden pouches strapped to her thighs. She ripped one of them off and tossed it to her apprentice.

"Your father and General Ironwood are evacuating the guests. The two of you need to go meet up with Blake by the entrance. Ignore the small fry for now; just let security deal with them. Eliminating that mech is priority!"

"And you?"

"I need to stay close to the President." Lightning grimaced. "She's here somewhere. I can't afford to give her any openings."

"_That_ was Anri...?" Kyousuke murmured, an unnerved expression forming on his face. "But... How did she get in? How did _any_ of them get in without us noticing?"

"I don't know," the Huntress said grimly before shaking her head. "But we don't have time to worry about that. Go. Now!"

"Wait one damn minute!" Kirino snapped as Kyousuke took off without a moment's hesitation. "Just what the hell is going on here?!"

"I said we don't have time for this!" Lightning snapped, digging into the duffel bag and shoving a quiver of arrows into her arms. "Go support Kyousuke. Now!"

Muttering few choice words to herself, Kirino scrambled after her brother. The pink-haired Huntress let out a deep sigh before returning her attention to the room as a whole and the terrorists rampaging throughout the hall.

"Get down." She hissed towards the stunned Svernare. When he didn't comply immediately, she growled and roughly shoved him beneath the cover of the upturned table. Then, with a dark glare, she returned her attention to the ongoing battle and raised a single, glowing hand.

* * *

Kyousuke parried an incoming thrust from a random opponent, which Kirino immediately took advantage of — cutting the man down before he could react. However, before either of them could resume their path towards the Paladin, they suddenly found another terrorist taking the last one's place. Out of the corner of his eye, Kyousuke saw several more dashing towards them.

"We don't have time for this!" Kirino snapped as she blocked the man's slash. Kyousuke made to assist her when he suddenly felt the entire room starting to grow hot and everything being illuminated by a bright red glow.

"Shit!" He cried out. "Get down!"

"Wha—" Kirino squeaked as he suddenly tackled her to the ground. Their opponent made to take advantage of the opening they'd created when his vision was suddenly engulfed by a field of flames. The two teens flinched as they heard the man's screams of agony. All around them, they heard similar screams as blasts of fire rained down on them from above. A glance upward showed a firestorm engulfing the entire room, as though the Gates of Hell had just been opened.

Chancing a peek behind him, Kyousuke spotted Lightning standing atop a table, both arms wreathed in flames as she mercilessly mowed their enemies down. The woman paused only momentarily to send him a dark glare.

"Go!" She roared at them.

"Why is your teacher so damn terrifying?!" Kirino shrieked as he hauled the girl to her feet.

"I ask myself that every day," Kyousuke muttered. "Let's go."

With Lightning cutting a wide swath through the battlefield, the siblings sprinted towards the hijacked machine that was currently making its way into the courtyard, chasing after a familiar black-clad individual.

"Blake!" the boy shouted as the Faunus girl leapt away from another swipe at her person. Beside him, Kirino drew an arrow from her quiver and shifted her weapon into bow-form before drawing back the string. When the arrowhead burst into flames, she let it fly; where it exploded on contact with the Paladin and caused it to stagger backwards.

However, the pilot was quick to retaliate and launched several missiles towards them. Kyousuke leapt aside, Kirino doing likewise. But the explosion still caught him in the back, sending him crashing into the ground some yards away. A shout from his flank alerted him to a hostile presence, and he quickly rolled to avoid a crushing blow from the enemy's mace.

"Watch it, kid!" An unfamiliar voice growled out and the teen glanced up in time to see large, grizzled man ramming a fist into his attacker's face. Seizing the opportunity, the boy swept the Faunus' feet from under him. As he began toppling over, Kyousuke shifted his gunblade and fired directly at the terrorist's chest, sending him flying into a nearby pillar.

Releasing a deep breath he wasn't aware he'd been holding, Kyousuke looked up to see his savior offering a hand. Taking it, the boy allowed himself to be pulled up and nodded gratefully. "Thanks."

"No problem." The security officer grunted before giving him a once-over, his brow furrowing in thought. "You… Yer that Kousaka kid, ain't ya? Farron's apprentice?"

"Yeah…" The boy sighed and took a moment to glance about, surveying the ongoing battle. Scores of masked individuals were all around him, clashing with the security forces throughout the courtyard. Pained shouts and screams from all directions caused a small pit to form in his stomach and silently, he clenched his fist.

"Nasty, ain't it?" The large man grumbled. "While we were ready for an attack like this, what we _weren't _expectin' was fer that mech to go on a rampage. Honestly, yer friends are handlin' it better than we could."

"Expect the unexpected..." Kyousuke muttered. With a deep grimace on his face, he scanned the battlefield for signs of Blake or his sister. Another explosion drew his attention upward, where Kirino was firing a string of Dust-infused arrows at the Paladin's cockpit from the relative safety of an overhanging balcony.

"That's no good." The man grimaced. "The cockpit's the most heavily armored place on that thing. Yer maid friend's been giving it hell fer a good five minutes but there're no significant signs of damage."

"But it _does _cause one hell of a distraction," Kyousuke murmured as the pilot opened fire on his sister, who simply took cover behind the stone divider. "That thing is tough, but its movements and tactics are sloppy. There's no way the pilot has any real experience in the cockpit."

"So, the bastard'll focus on what he thinks is the biggest threat to 'em," the officer said, nodding in understanding. "Like yer friend's explosive arrows."

"She's my sister." The teen corrected absentmindedly, his mind searching for a way to defeat the machine.

"Really?" the man raised an eyebrow. "Ya look nothin' alike."

The boy almost face-faulted. "Thanks," he said sarcastically.

"Kyousuke!" a familiar voice called out. Surprised, he turned to see Blake dashing towards him. "Are you alright? Kirino said she lost sight of you after that missile hit."

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks to…"

"Sergeant Martin." The man grunted. He paused and glanced up at the towering construct once again. "I hope you kids've got a plan fer that thing."

"Something like that," Kyousuke muttered. "We're gonna need to get closer, though. Sergeant Martin, can you and your men keep the White Fang off us?"

"Ha!" The officer chuckled. "We'll do better than that, kid. We'll drive the bastards clear outta Vale."

"Don't underestimate them, Sergeant," Blake said with a small frown. "They may be green, but their numbers are nothing to scoff at."

"Right, right." Martin grumbled. "And just call me Marty, kiddos. Everyone else does." He spat on the ground and hefted his gun over his shoulder. "Just take that thing down. Leave the small fry to us."

"We're counting on you," Kyousuke nodded as the man strode back into the fray, shouting orders to his comrades as he did. The black-haired teen shook his head and turned to his companion. "Kirino is providing cover from the balcony, but she can't hold out there forever. You up for running interference?"

"As long as you know what you're doing," the Faunus said, crouching low to the ground. "On your count, then."

"Wait for it…" he murmured, likewise lowering himself into a ready position. "Come on, Kirino…" Just as he spoke those words, his sister peaked out from her cover and fired another explosive arrow at their bumbling opponent. "Now!"

Blake wasted no time dashing forward, firing her weapon at the mech. Predictably, the pilot responded by firing several rockets at her. Leaping into the air, the Faunus suddenly split into several copies of herself of which only one was actually hit by the projectiles. As she hit the ground, she once more split herself into a small squad of clones, which promptly surrounded the machine.

In the cockpit, the pilot grit his teeth in frustration. "The hell is with this maid?!" he snarled.

_Missiles ready for deployment._ A computerized voice said crisply.

"Then fire!" The man snarled. "Fire everything!"

Immediately, several dozen missiles launched from of the mecha's back, straight into the air before homing in on the circle of targets on the ground. A harsh cacophony of explosions wracked the courtyard as the projectiles found their mark, throwing up an enormous cloud of dust in the process.

_Visibility lost. Activating secondary sensors._

"Shit." The pilot grumbled as he scanned the battlefield for his opponents. "Come on you bastards… Where are y—"

_Warning! Hostile detected. Initiating defensive protocols._

"Huh?"

Kyousuke dashed forward, navigating his way through the dust by releasing weak electromagnetic waves and turning himself into a makeshift radar. Shifting Blazefire Saber into Blade Mode, he pulled the trigger and leapt up towards the cockpit.

Only to find a cannon in his face.

**Boom!**

The teen barely had time to focus his aura into a shield before finding himself being blasted aside by a plasma bolt. Crashing harshly into the ground, Kyousuke found himself gazing up at the Paladin through swimming vision.

"Kyousuke!" He vaguely heard Blake scream as the pilot brought the mech's foot down upon him.

* * *

Lightning grunted as she felled another over-eager terrorist with a flick of her gunblade. Igniting her hand once more, she lashed out and struck down another several yards away.

"How many are there?" Svernare asked quietly from beneath the cover of an upturned table. The Huntress glanced at him.

"Scores of them," she said stiffly. "They outnumber your security forces 2:1 at the very least."

"This is my fault." The man grimaced. "I should have seen this coming. The White Fang _hates_ us. I shouldn't have brought the Paladin. I should have _prepared _for this."

"Spare me the pity party!" Lightning snapped. "Just focus on staying alive."

"If that's your concern, then I should have evacuated with General Ironwood."

"That's exactly what she wants you to do." The pink-haired woman scowled. "Anri specializes in assassination through infiltration and misdirection. Killing you in a chaotic crowd like that would be child's play for her."

"A-Anri?" Svernare paled significantly. "That witch? She's here?"

"Yes." Lightning grunted, her eyes scanning the battle. "As insane as it may sound, the safest place for you right now is by my side on an open battlefield. So, just—" Her eyes widened as a loud creaking noise reverberated through the chaotic din. "Shit! Get down!"

Feeling himself being forced to the ground, Svernare glanced up to see the massive chandelier falling from the ceiling — directly towards them. Lightning swiftly ignited both her hands and engulfed the ornate light fixture in a whirlwind of fire. The chandelier was quickly reduced to molten bronze, which the Huntress wasted no time in freezing with a blast of icy cold wind.

Suddenly, that same ice was quickly formed into razor-sharp icicles and sent hurtling towards them. Lightning flicked her wrist and shattered them into tiny lumps of hail.

"Ara, ara..." A smooth, sensual voice purred out. "No fun at all, are you?"

Turning toward the voice, the Huntress saw the familiar sight of a red-clad woman balancing atop a table several yards away, her Faunus features clearly displayed for the world to see. Covering her face was a white and red mask in the shape of a fox, but Lightning knew that beneath it, the woman was sporting one of her infuriatingly serene smiles.

"It's been a long time, Claire-chan," Anri giggled, her tail swishing playfully.

Without warning, she leapt off the table and kicked it toward the Huntress at breakneck speeds. Lightning was quick to blast it apart with a ball of fire, but out of the ensuing explosion came a hail of kunai. The pink-haired woman raised her gunblade — which was enveloped in a green glow — and slashed through the air, sending razor sharp blades of wind to intercept the knives.

"Tch." Anri clicked her tongue. "This is taking too long. Ne, Claire-chan, could you just step aside and let me kill Mister President over there?"

"Did you really think that would work?" The Huntress raised an eyebrow at her.

"No, but it was worth a try." She shrugged before lashing a glowing arm out and resuming their duel once more.

* * *

"Kyousuke!"

The teen snapped to attention as a loud, screeching sound reverberated through the courtyard. Glancing up in shock, he saw Penny standing before him, her arms outstretched as she held off the Paladin using little else but sheer strength. With a great heave, the redhead shoved the mech away, causing it to stumble backwards and into a nearby pillar.

"You will not harm my friend," the girl said with a dark glare.

Kyousuke could only stare at her in open-mouthed shock. "P-Penny? I— You— Wha—"

"Are you alright, Kyousuke-shi?" Another voice called out to him. The boy turned in alarm to see Saori striding towards them carrying a strange, spear-like weapon.

"Saori?" he asked incredulously. "You too?"

"But of course!" The green-haired girl grinned. "I am a Huntress-in-training, after all. Tis my sworn duty to protect those in need." She emphasized this by giving her weapon several experimental swings. "Hmm... But I'll admit; this weapon is a bit strange. I procured it from one of the fallen White Fang members, so I'm uncertain as to the extent of its capabilities."

"Do not worry, Friend-Kyousuke," Penny said cheerfully. "We're combat-ready!"

"I shall name thee Gáe Bolg!" Saori declared with a toothy grin, twirling her new lance several times before ending in a single thrust. "May you bring me glory as you did Ireland's Child of Light."

"I had no idea light was capable of reproducing!" The redhead blurted out, examining the weapon curiously.

"Oh, no, no, no!" The green-haired girl chuckled. "You see, it was actually a reference to my favorite visual novel, _Destiny/remain evening_."

"I hate to interrupt," Blake said in a dry voice as she strode over to them. "But we're still in the middle of combat here."

The sound of someone landing behind them alerted them to Kirino's arrival. "No kidding." His sister scowled before giving him a once-over. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Kyousuke sighed before returning his attention to the mecha as the pilot regained his bearings. "But we need to take that thing down. Now."

"Well?" Blake prompted him. "Any more ideas?"

"Just one." He nodded. "If this doesn't work, then I don't know what will."

"Well, don't keep us in suspense, Kyousuke-shi!" Saori grinned. "Enlighten us with your masterful strategy."

"That thing is equipped with automated defenses," Kyousuke explained. "There's no way the pilot was able to see me in that dust cloud. So, we're gonna need to disable those defenses. I've never tried it before, but if I can release a powerful enough EMP, we should be able to do just that."

"I see…"

"The thing is, I'm gonna need to get close for it to be effective on such a large machine," the boy continued. "Blake, you're gonna need to run interference again."

"Do you really think the pilot will fall for the same tactic twice?" The Faunus raised an eyebrow at him.

"No," Kyousuke admitted. "So, we're gonna need to slow that thing down. Don't give him time to properly react."

"I can do that!" Penny exclaimed.

"So can I." Kirino nodded.

"Good; we'll need both of you," he said. "Another thing. I'm gonna need to focus all my concentration on the EMP, so I'm not gonna be able to take care of the pilot. Saori, that's where you come in. Can you handle it?"

"Leave it to me, Kyousuke-shi!" Saori smiled. "I am certain Gáe Bolg will be up to the task!"

"...Right," Kyousuke muttered. He just hoped he wouldn't come to regret this decision. "Let's do this."

Kirino nodded and withdrew an arrow from her quiver. The arrowhead shifted into a grappling hook, which she fired onto the balcony. A long cable attached to her belt extended, which she promptly used to propel herself up once more. Penny simply ran to the far side of the courtyard, on the other side of the mecha.

"Ready?" Blake murmured. The other two nodded and the Faunus dashed forward, splitting herself into several copies as she did.

In the cockpit, the pilot raised an eyebrow. "This again?" He smirked, reaching for a lever on his right hand side. "I'm not falling for that twice, bitch." The Paladin raised its right arm cannon and began charging a plasma bolt.

Out of nowhere, a large sword impaled itself on the mecha's arm, sending the bolt astray. "What?!" the pilot exclaimed. He reached for the left hand lever to remove the sword, but another sword suddenly impaled itself on the machine's left arm.

Two more swords impaled themselves on each leg and two more on the mech's torso. Each of these swords were attached to long cables and the pilot suddenly found himself completely bound; unable to move even an inch in any direction.

From the balcony, Kirino drew another arrow. This time, the arrowhead gave off a white glow as the girl drew back the string. With a _twang_, the arrow flew and upon making contact with the Paladin, enormous columns of ice formed on the mech's armor. Three more arrows swiftly followed, nearly freezing it solid.

"It's now or never!" Kirino barked out but Kyousuke was already in motion.

"What the hell?!" the pilot roared, furiously slamming his fists into every button he could reach in hopes of freeing himself.

_Warning! Mass buildup of electromagnetic currents! Danger! Da-D͈͈͖ḁn̵͖̳̫g͠e̘̯̜r̨̲͚͖̝̱̳͉!D̶͕̘̭̥͝͡ͅá̺̠̜̥͓̺̟͟n̛̖̹͍͚͖͇̻g҉̲̹͎̖͇͓̦e̢̨͉̬̮͕r̭̱!̷̘͈͓̯͕̺̪͖I̶̯͕̰̘̤̤̠͖͔̣͇̮̙͖̲͢ͅm̪̦̮̹͝͝m̵͝͏̘̭͚̘̲̮͎̘̠̞͚͕̠̱̺͈̰͜e̵̡̧̳̥͈͉̰͕̠̳̕͢ͅd̴̨̧̲͕͖̟̺͚͔̬̥̲͍͚͙͇̺̘͘í͔̞̲̺̩̤͙͖̞̖̫͡͝ͅͅͅa̶͘҉̫̣̖̳̹̥͔̠̜̮͎̰̭t̴̺͔̖͔̫͘͜͡-̨̱̻̗̭͇̗̯̳̻̹̬̞́͘͟͝_

"What the fu—" The pilot was cut off as the cockpit went pitch black.

"Any time, Saori!" Kyousuke bellowed; his entire body surrounded by a rapidly expanding bubble of electricity.

"This is our time to shine!" the green-haired girl declared, spinning her lance in a rapid circle as she charged forward. Sliding to a halt, Saori crouched low to the ground, her legs enveloped in a bright white glow. Then, faster than the eye could perceive, she leapt high into the air. "**G****ÀE**…" Her weapon began to glow with an intense green light as she rapidly descended upon the Paladin. "**BOLG!**"

"Holy shi—" Kyousuke could barely get those words out before a massive explosion wracked the courtyard. He barely had time to escape the blast radius as Saori's weapon connected to the mecha's cockpit; causing the ensuing explosion to send him flying.

Landing several yards away, the black-haired teen glanced up to see the mighty Paladin collapse in a flaming heap, finally falling silent. The clicking of heels alerted him to Blake's presence as she quietly made her way over to him.

"You okay?" she murmured as she helped him to his feet.

"Me?" Kyousuke asked incredulously. "What about Saori? She—"

"Ohohoho!" A familiar voice giggled from behind him, prompting both teens to spin around. "That went better than expected! Gáe Bolg truly is worthy of its name."

"Saori?!" the boy exclaimed, glancing back at the destroyed mecha. "How…?"

"We just barely avoided the blast," Saori admitted with a small smile, she pointed towards her feet and he glanced down to see the pilot face down on the ground, unconscious.

"That weapon really is something," Blake noted, gazing warily at the halberd.

"Ohoho…" The other girl smiled sheepishly. "While I'd like to agree, I believe I simply got lucky in skewering the machine's control panel. That's what caused the explosion."

"I see. Well we should—"

"Hey!" Kirino's voice called out to them. "I hate to break things up, but we've got a problem!" The three turned to see her pointing to the other side of the courtyard. Kyousuke followed her gaze, only for his heart to drop.

There, lying amid the rubble — burned and battered — was Penny.

"No!" The boy shouted, dashing towards the fallen girl. The others were not far behind him. Skidding to a halt, Kyousuke lifted the silent girl into his arms and brought his ear to her mouth. "She's not breathing," he said urgently.

Blake placed two fingers against her neck. "No pulse either."

"No…" Kyousuke whispered. "No, no, no no… You can't do this, Penny… PENNY!"

"Yes?" the redhead questioned, opening her eyes.

"Gah!" The boy jumped slightly while everyone else let out sighs of relief. "P-Penny?"

"Yes, Friend-Kyousuke?" she smiled at him. "Are you uninjured?"

"Me? What about you?" he countered. "You were even farther away from the explosion than me. Why didn't you escape? How did you survive?"

She didn't answer immediately. Gazing at the group before her, she blinked. "You are… concerned for my well-being?"

"Of course!" Kyousuke smiled weakly. "We're friends, aren't we? Friends worry about each other."

"I see…" Penny whispered.

"Hey…" Kirino spoke up awkwardly. She seemed to be gazing down at Penny's body. "You should probably take a look at this…"

"What? But she…" He resisted the urge to glance downward, as the explosion had burned off most of her clothing.

"Seriously," Blake piped in, staring at something on the girl's person. Were her injuries truly that grievous? Steeling himself, Kyousuke shifted his gaze downward, only for his jaw to fall open.

Instead of burned flesh, all he could see was silver as Penny's metallic body glinted in the low lightning. "W-What?"

"I suppose there is no more hiding the fact," the redhead said sadly. "I… I am not a normal girl. I am an artificially created human; commonly referred to as an 'android'. When Kyousuke released his electromagnetic pulse, it affected my systems as well and I was unable to escape the blast radius." She met Kyousuke's eyes and smiled sadly. "I apologize for deceiving you. I have read that lies are socially unacceptable, so I understand if you do not wish to remain friends with me."

"To hell with that!" Kyousuke snapped, causing the girl to flinch in shock. "You saved my life, Penny. I can never repay you for that. So what if you're a robot? You're still _you_. You're still that socially awkward girl from earlier. You're still the girl that doesn't know how to dance." He smiled at her. "And you're still my friend."

"That's right!" Saori grinned. "Penny is Penny. That's all there is to it."

"I guess you were pretty cool back there," Kirino said, not meeting her eyes. "D-Don't get me wrong, though! I still think you're weird. Just… not _as _weird as before."

"Yes." Blake smiled softly. "Thank you for your help tonight, Penny."

The orange-haired android could only stare at them in open shock. Blinking slightly, she could only say one thing. "T-Thank you…"

"No, thank _you_." Kyousuke smiled. They were silent for several moments before the sound of shouting and gunfire reminded them that there was still a battle to be fought.

"We should get back," Blake said. "Can you stand, Penny?"

"I apologize." The android shook her head regretfully. "But my systems have still not recovered from the electromagnetic pulse."

"We've got no choice, then." The boy grunted and turned to his sister. "Kirino, can you and Saori get Penny back to her father? One of you will have to carry her while the other escorts you two."

"What? Why do I have to?" She protested.

"Because one of us needs to check in with Mom and Dad," Kyousuke explained. "And I'd feel a lot more comfortable knowing you were protecting them."

Kirino blinked at him before flushing slightly. "I-It can't be helped, I suppose," she conceded. "We'll take her."

"Thanks." He nodded. Saori grinned at him as Kirino reached down to lift the redhead into a fireman's carry. As the trio took off towards the lobby, Kyousuke turned to the girl beside him. "We have to get back to Sensei. Who knows what's going on in there?"

The Faunus nodded her agreement and with that, the two made their way back into the fray.

* * *

Anri scowled slightly as she was once again forced back by her opponent. "What's the matter, Anri?" Lightning questioned coolly. "You're barely even putting up a fight."

The black-haired vixen blinked. Slowly, her face split into a smile. "Oh, my..." She giggled. "And here I thought you were just buying time for a plan, but it seems you really are clueless."

"Sensei!" The Huntress frowned as she spotted Kyousuke and Blake re-entering the ballroom.

"What are you talking about?" She demanded.

"I mean, you haven't even figured it out yet!"

"Answer the damn question!"

"Do you not find it strange that they would only send little-old-me and a handful of footmen to this little shindig?" Anri giggled. "You know very well that if we really wanted that person dead, I would have done it without any of you noticing. All this hustle and bustle… This meaningless showmanship... I mean, really!"

Lightning's eyes widened before her mouth fell into a stern line. "So, that's your game," she said, her eyes narrowing into slits.

"What is she talking about, Sensei?" Kyousuke asked, staring at the red-clad Faunus warily.

"They played us for fools," the woman explained, shaking her head. "They were never after the president. This entire thing was—"

"A distraction?" The fox-woman grinned. "Got it in one, Claire-chan!"

'_What?'_ Kyousuke wondered; his brow furrowing. '_A distraction? __But what could they be—_' The boy felt his blood chill as his eyes scanned over the room and he came to a horrifying realization. There were only two other people the White Fang could possibly care enough about to go through all this trouble. Two people who he hadn't seen in quite some time now.

"...Where are Weiss and Winter?" the teen asked, his eyes desperately scanning the chaos surrounding them for a head of white hair.

Blake's eyes widened. "T-They left to take care of something," she whispered; a horrified expression creeping onto her face. "This was over fifteen minutes ago..."

"Kyahaha!" Anri burst into laughter. "Oh, the looks on your faces! They're priceless!"

Svernare's face twisted into a terrified rage. "What have you done to my daughters, you Faunus bitch?!"

"You're in no position to be making demands of me, little man!" The assassin giggled. "But I'll humor you. Your precious little girls are probably being stolen away as we speak."

"Go!" Lightning ordered. "I'll keep things under control here." Kyousuke wasted no time dashing towards the exit, Blake just a step behind him.

"Ara, do you really think I'm just going to— " The vixen's sentence was cut off as she was forced to dodge another blast of fire.

"You're not going anywhere," the pink-haired Huntress said coldly.

"Oh?" The fox woman cocked her head. "So, now _you're_ distracting _me_? You honestly think your cute little protégé will be able to do this all on his own?"

"I know he can." Lightning grunted. "After all, I trained him myself."

"Always so confident." Anri giggled. "It suits your little nickname, which I have always adored. So _ephemeral _it is, lightning."

"Oh, I'll _show_ you how lightning strikes!" She snapped as the two clashed once more.

* * *

Kyousuke dashed through the hallways of the hotel with a frantic look on his face. '_Damn it all!_' he mentally roared. '_I should have seen this coming!_' Weiss was the heiress to the entire Schnee family. Of _course_ she would have a huge target on her back. He was such an idiot! Why didn't he think of this until _now_?!

"Kyousuke!" Blake's shout broke him out of his panicked thoughts. Skidding to a halt, he followed her gaze to see a white-haired figure collapsed beneath a small pile of rubble in one of the adjoining halls. The slow rise and fall of their chest indicating that they were still alive, at least.

"Weiss!" Kyousuke exclaimed in relief, running towards her. He crouched down and carefully pulled her out of the rubble, only for his face to freeze upon realizing who it really was.

"Ugh, those barbaric curs..." Winter groaned, rubbing a rapidly forming lump on the back of her head.

"Winter, where is Weiss?" Kyousuke asked urgently, shaking her slightly in an attempt to get her to focus.

"Oh, don't mind me," she snapped, her voice positively dripping with sarcasm. "I'll be fine."

"Winter, _please!_"

The white-haired girl just sighed. "They stormed inside just a few minutes ago." Winter explained, her face twisting into a sneer. "Those wretched beasts caught us off-guard. They incapacitated me, grabbed my sister and escaped. It looked like they were headed towards the rear parking lot."

"The rear parking lot?" Blake murmured. Her brow furrowed as she glanced down the hallway to try and get her bearings. "From here it should be… that way."

"Thank you," Kyousuke said with a tight smile. "Find my dad and sister as soon as you can. They've evacuated the other party guests to the lobby. And stay _away _from the courtyard. That's where the majority of the fighting is happening."

"Ugh, if I _must_..."

Once he'd gotten the girl's affirmation, the boy rose to his feet. He exchanged a quick nod with Blake and the two dashed towards the parking lot Winter had directed them to.

'_Just hold on!_' Kyousuke thought as the two frantically sprinted towards the back exit. Finally, they rounded one last corner, where they came across a steel door marked 'Emergency Exit'. As they approached the door, they began hearing a commotion from the other side. Several voices were shouting to one another, but one stood out amid the rest.

"Unhand me at once, you foul miscrea— mrnk!"

"Weiss!" Kyousuke shouted as the two teens burst through the door. He was met with the sight of a White Fang member shoving the bound and now-gagged heiress into the back of a black sedan.

"Get her out of here!" One of the terrorists ordered.

"No!" Blake exclaimed, dashing forward as the car began to pull out of the parking lot. Another of the terrorists intercepted her and swung a large mace at her head, forcing the girl back as his allies quickly moved in to join the attack. Blake flipped backwards, deftly dodging a strike aimed at her throat before throwing Gambol Shroud and ensnaring one of the kidnappers' legs.

Kyousuke wasted no time charging forward as the man began toppling over, slashing him through the chest. Leaping over the fallen man, he thrust his leg forward, kicking another of the terrorists in the face and sending her flying into a nearby car.

As Kyousuke landed, Blake dashed forward; flipping over him and firing her weapon at the goons desperately trying to stall them. "We don't have time for this!" she shouted at him. "They're getting away!"

"I know!" The boy growled, watching as the car pulled out of the parking lot and began rapidly picking up speed. He glanced at the encroaching Faunus before turning his attention to the weapon in Blake's hand.

He had an idea.

"Blake," the teen murmured urgently. "I'm gonna need a lift."

The girl glanced at him before following his gaze. "...Got it."

Just as another of the kidnappers lunged at them Blake tossed Gambol Shroud towards her partner, who deftly grabbed it. Shifting his gunblade, Kyousuke started firing upon them as he began running in a wide circle around the girl. Blake remained stationary, merely tightening her grasp on her end of Gambol Shroud's ribbon and spinning around in conjunction with her partner.

Suddenly the smell of ionized oxygen reached all of their nostrils as Kyousuke began rapidly increasing his speed. His figure becoming little more than a blue and black blur, the boy jumped. Taking advantage of the momentum his running had created, Blake began spinning the boy in a wide circle around herself and the terrorists could only watch in stunned horror as the duo transformed into a cyclone of electric death.

And then, Blake lashed out, her partner's gunblade slashing through their opponents with ease. The kidnappers attempted to scatter to safety, but the duo's combined range was simply too great and within seconds, they'd been utterly decimated.

Still not letting up, Blake began picking up speed. "I hope you know what you're doing!" she shouted just before the boy released his grip on her weapon, sending himself hurtling through the air… straight towards the escaping car.

Kyousuke grit his teeth as he felt the wind rapidly whipping about his face. He steeled himself and shifted his weapon into Blade Mode... Only for his eyes to widen in shock as the car's sunroof suddenly opened. A masked man popped out with a rocket launcher in hand and took aim straight at the black-haired teen.

Grimacing, the boy brought up his arms to shield his face and focused his aura into a force field around him.

_BOOM!_

With a great roar the rocket burst upon contact with the force field, engulfing Kyousuke in a fiery explosion. Crashing harshly into the pavement below, he glanced up — too stunned from the explosion to stand — and saw the car rapidly gaining distance on him.

'_Shit!'_ Kyousuke thought furiously as he watched the car retreating further and further into the distance. '_What now?! Think, Kyousuke, think!'_ Then, his eyes widened.

Wait...!

Reaching back underneath the collar of his dress shirt, the teen began to grasp wildly until his fingers wrapped around something small and metallic; something he would have easily missed had he not been actively searching for it.

Ripping the object off his clothing, Kyousuke loaded it into his gunblade; the auto-adapter instantly adjusting the chamber to accommodate it. Shifting his weapon into Assault Mode, the teen took aim and fired. Gritting his teeth, the boy waited with bated breath as the sedan got farther and farther away. When he finally heard the distinctive sound of metal contacting metal, the boy sagged in relief even as the car rounded the corner and he lost sight of it.

"Kyousuke!" Blake's voice called out. Said boy turned to see her running towards him, a frantic look on her face. "Where are they?"

"They got away," he said with a pained grunt, shakily rising to his feet. The girl grit her teeth.

"Damn it!" She snarled, her hand clenching into a tight fist. "So, we failed? All of this was for nothing?!"

"We haven't lost, yet." Kyousuke growled. He stumbled towards a nearby building and leaned against the wall for support before pulling out his scroll.

"Who could you possibly be calling right now?" Blake demanded as he searched through his contact list. Finally finding the correct contact, he called.

The two waited in tense silence as the dial tone rang. Finally, after several agonizing moments, someone answered. "_Hello?_"

Blake frowned in confusion. "Is that... Yang?" she asked incredulously as the blonde girl appeared on the small screen.

"Yang, I need you to tell me where I am on your tracking device," Kyousuke said urgently.

The girl in question choked. "_H-How do you know about that?_"

"I've always known!" He snapped, causing her to flinch in surprise. "Now, _please_, answer me! Weiss' life is on the line!"

Yang gaped in mute shock at the utter desperation in his voice. Swallowing, she checked her KyoDar to see a blue dot rapidly moving towards the northwestern section of town.

"_It looks like it's headed to the industrial district,_" she told them. "_Judging by its movement patterns, it looks like it's headed towards the dock warehouses._"

"Thanks, Yang." Kyousuke smiled tightly.

"_Kyo, what's happening?_"

"I'll explain on the way there," he said, nodding at Blake. "First, we need to get to my car. I'll be keeping this channel open. Do you still have Bumblebee with you?"

"_It's just outside."_

"Then grab Ruby, gear up and meet me at the docks."

"Kyousuke?" Blake questioned.

"We're gonna need all the help we can get." He said firmly as he began leading the way back towards the hotel. "No one is dying. Not tonight. Not on my watch."

'_Not again._'

**Never **again.

* * *

Anri grimaced as she was sent skidding back from one of Lightning's overwhelming barrages, another set of her kunai shattering into tiny fragments. As Lightning raised her gunblade into another defensive stance, the fox woman took a moment to survey their surroundings.

The ballroom — if one could call it that anymore — had been ravaged beyond recognition by the two women's duel. The marble flooring had been reduced to rubble, creating an unstable battlefield where the slightest misstep would quickly result in defeat. Any furniture in the room had swiftly been incinerated into ash by Dust firestorms and every window shattered by shockwaves.

And even now, Lightning _still _had not gone all-out on her. She'd been playing a defensive game the entire battle, mainly to keep herself as an impenetrable wall between Anri and Svernare. And from the sound of things outside, their forces were slowly being driven back by the Schnee security force.

The Faunus knew that if this fight dragged out any longer, she would lose. Anri was confident in her abilities but she wasn't a fool. There was absolutely no way she would be able to defeat the Huntress in a fair fight if Lightning decided to go all out.

"Ara, ara..." The fox woman giggled despite her increasingly bleak situation. "This isn't like you, Claire-chan. You're the type who takes charge during battle, not react to others."

"Perhaps," Lightning said neutrally. "But it's still more than enough to deal with the likes of you."

"Che!" Anri spat, her ears twitching in irritation. This was another thing she absolutely despised about the pink-haired woman; her infuriatingly cool persona. It made it nearly impossible to get a rise out of her. "So smug. You've become so _boring _now that you've taken your little boy-toy back."

"My _apprentice_ hardly has anything to do with my personality," the woman said coldly, her cheek twitching ever-so-slightly.

Oho?

Anri's ears perked up, her mouth curling into a smirk. "Oh, but he _does_," she insisted, giggling slightly. "You were so _angry_ when he left you three years ago; so easy to rile up. I remember those times quite fondly."

"Don't talk as if you know me," the Huntress said in a low voice.

"Oh, but I _do_," Anri simpered. "When you took him under your wing, he reminded you so much of a certain _someone_."

Lightning grit her teeth and her grip on her gunblade tightened, her knuckles slowly turning white. "Shut up."

"Someone you loved oh-so-dearly," the Faunus continued with a cruel smirk forming on her face. "Someone you can never see again, thanks to little-old-me."

"I said shut _up!_"

"I wonder if he'll scream the same way your adorable little sister did after I gut him?" Anri sneered. "And he lies broken and sobbing at my feet?"

"You traitorous whore!" Lightning roared, her face twisting into an enraged snarl. All reasoning lost, she rushed towards the woman in a mad frenzy, absolute hatred gleaming within her eyes. "I'll fucking kill you!"

Perfect.

Faster than the human eye could perceive, Anri disappeared in a red flash and reappeared directly behind the Huntress. Lightning quickly spun around and slashed the woman through the chest, only to watch in shock as her body shattered into a cascade of cherry blossoms.

…

_**Shnk!**_

…

Slowly, almost disbelievingly, Lightning looked down at the blade piercing through her chest. She stared in stunned silence as drops of blood began to slowly trickle out the corner of her mouth. Calmly, the black-haired woman leaned over her shoulder, her breath tickling the Huntress' ear.

"I win this time, Claire-chan," Anri whispered, withdrawing her blade and stepping back.

'_Anri!_' A voice grunted through her earpiece. '_We've got her. Fall back._' Shaking her head in wry amusement, Anri watched her opponent fall to one knee, clutching her wound as she began coughing up blood.

"It looks like you've lucked out, Claire-chan!" The vixen giggled, casually flicking the blood off her dagger. "We're done here. Make sure you give that adorable protégé of yours a kiss for me, okay?"

"Anri!" Lightning snarled as the woman began walking away. Slowly, the Huntress rose to her feet and hefted her gunblade at the retreating Faunus. "We're not done here!"

"Oh, but we are," the black-haired woman said offhandedly. She lifted her dagger up so the Huntress could see it clearly. "Ah, you recognize it, don't you? You should. It's the same blade your sister bought you for your birthday all those years ago."

The pink-haired woman just grimaced, not dignifying her with a response. Anri simply giggled at the hazy look of hatred being sent her way. The Huntress could barely stand on her own at this point.

"You can feel it can't you?" She asked with a grin. "You see, this lovely blade I introduced to your bloodstream was coated in that special paralytic poison that I love so much. You couldn't come after me even if you wanted to."

Anri turned and smiled at her as Svernare ran over to support Lightning's wobbling form. "Well, it's been fun." She giggled as her body was slowly enveloped by a cascade of cherry blossoms once again. "I hope to see you again soon, Claire-chan!"

"Damn it!" Lightning snarled as the woman disappeared. She had escaped her yet again. "I can't _believe _I let her get in my head. She played me like a goddamn fiddle!"

"Nobody is perfect, Master Farron," Svernare said as he helped her limp over to a nearby wall. "Now, please conserve your energy. I'll find you a medic."

"Don't bother." She grunted. "I've shrugged off worse before. It's this damn poison that's keeping me down."

"All the more reason you should see a medic." The man countered.

"No, I'll be fine." Lightning grimaced. "I'm familiar with the poisons she uses. This particular one is powerful and has no known antidote, but it comes at the cost of being non-lethal to humans. I'll have to let it run its course."

"I'm surprised she let you and I live," Svernare mused. "She had the perfect opportunity to finish us off."

"Do you really need to ask? She's clearly insane." Lightning scowled and spat out a mouthful of blood. "Probably just wants the opportunity to torment me in the future. She's always had a particular knack for it."

"Now that you mention it, the two of you _did _seem to know each other quite well."

"And quite frankly, it's none of your business." The woman grit her teeth. "There's bad blood between us. That's all you need to know."

"I see..." The man didn't look satisfied, but let it go as another voice called out to them.

"Father!" The two adults turned to see a white-haired girl gingerly making her way across the rubble, a grimace on her face.

"Winter!" Svernare cried, a wave of relief washing over him before dashing towards the girl and enveloping her in a hug. "Thank God you're safe!"

"Likewise, Father." Winter smiled before turning her attention to the injured woman. "Oh, Master Farron! Are you hurt badly?"

"I'll be fine, kid," Lightning grunted. "Where are Kyousuke and your sister?"

Winter didn't respond immediately, causing both adults to stiffen. "Winter..." Svernare said slowly, a tone of dread seeping into his voice as he stepped back to look at her. "Where is Weiss?"

"I-I don't know, Father," the girl said, unable to meet his eyes. "...The White Fang took her."

"No..." The man whispered, his face losing all color. "Oh, God. Please, no..."

"And where is my apprentice?" Lightning demanded. Winter flinched under her furious gaze.

"He and your maid went chasing after them," she said quietly. "I haven't heard from them since. Father... I'm sorry I failed you."

"Weiss..." Svernare murmured, collapsing to his knees; his hands trembling uncontrollably. "Please, not my little girl..."

"Get a hold of yourself!" The pink-haired woman snapped. "This isn't over yet. Kyousuke is still on their tail as we speak."

"With all due respect, Master Farron," Winter spoke up, seeing as her father was still in shock. "I don't see how your apprentice is going to be able to take on those scum all by himself."

"That just shows how little you know him, brat," Lightning retorted. "And you're forgetting one very crucial detail."

The white-haired girl's cheek twitched slightly. "And what's that?" The Huntress turned to gaze out one of the shattered windows at the moon now high in the night sky.

"He's hardly alone."

* * *

At a large shipyard, a sleek, black sedan slowly came to a stop in front of a massive transport crate. The driver-side door opened and a masked, gruff-looking man stepped out. The Faunus opened the back seat door and glared at its occupant.

"Out!" He snapped, roughly grabbing the white-haired girl and dragging her outside.

"Mphgl!" Weiss glared at him, still gagged. With a grunt, she violently shrugged her shoulder out of his grasp.

"Quit struggling!" Another masked man snapped as he stepped out behind her, pointing a gun at her head.

"You're lucky, girlie." The first man growled. "If it had been up to _me_, you and your bitch sister would've been executed on the spot."

"Now, now…" Yet another voice said. "Let's not treat our… _guest _so harshly."

"Sir!" Both men snapped to attention as a tall, red-haired man stepped out from behind the crate. He wore a red and white mask and had a pair of bull-like horns protruding from his head. In one hand, he carried a simple wooden chair and in the other he carried a sheathed katana.

"After all, she is a _Schnee_." The tall man sneered at her, to which Weiss glared straight back. "It's only right we make her as comfortable as possible for her execution. Isn't that right, Miss Schnee?" He reached forward and ripped the gag out of her mouth.

"You filthy scum!" The heiress immediately shrieked. "Do you honestly think you'll get away with this?"

"Hmph." He scoffed. "Just as loud and self-centered as she said you'd be." The man gestured to the chair. "Bind her."

"She?" Weiss repeated furiously as the two men forced her into the chair and began tying thick cables around her. "Just who is '_she_'?"

"Oh, nothing." The man chuckled. "I was just talking to myself." He paused for a moment. "Ah, that's right. I haven't introduced myself, have I? Pardon my terrible manners, _Miss Schnee_."

"I couldn't care less what your name is, you cretin." The white-haired girl huffed. "And would you kindly stop using my surname as though it were some kind of slur? And turn off that _atrocious _music while you're at it!"

'_Music?_' The two goons thought in confusion.

"Oh, but it _is _a slur." The red-haired man grinned. "It's a slur every Faunus knows. One that they all hate unconditionally."

Weiss watched with growing dread as dozens of masked individuals emerged from the shadows. Each of them stared at the white-haired girl, hatred visibly radiating from their profiles. And for the first time this night, Weiss was starting to feel actual fear.

"Schnee bitch!"

"Make her bleed!"

"Kill her, Captain!"

"Oh, she _will _bleed." The man chuckled. "But not before she experiences all the pain and hatred we have all felt. All the misery inflicted upon us by the wretched Schnee Company!"

"Yeah!"

"Do it!"

"Now, _Schnee_." He sneered. "Now you… You will… feel— feel the… pai—" He grit his teeth and spun around to glare daggers at the crowd of Faunus behind him. "WHO THE HELL IS PLAYING THAT DAMN MUSIC?!"

Right on cue, a sleek, midnight blue car suddenly came vaulting over one of the transport crates, its radio loudly blasting a Mexican folk song. Weiss and her captors could only watch in stunned silence as the car landed on top of a group of men and began running over the large crowd of White Fang members as though they were nothing more than bowling pins.

Suddenly, the car roof opened and a large, mounted, Vulcan machine gun emerged with a familiar green-haired girl behind it.

"Get rekt!" Saori roared gleefully as she pulled the trigger, showering the frantically scattering terrorists in a storm of bullets. "Taste utter pwnage, you filthy casuals!"

"Is this the same Saori we know?!" Kyousuke shouted, staring at the girl fearfully as he continued running over the fleeing Faunus.

"Muwahahahaha!"

"Why is your car even equipped with a machine gun?!" Kirino demanded as she fired a barrage of Dust-infused arrows into the crowd, the resulting explosions sending their opponents flying every which way.

"Sensei said she left me a gift, but I think this is pushing it!" The boy exclaimed, still mildly disturbed by the sheer destruction being caused.

"Can we not focus on that?" Blake cried, clutching onto her seat for dear life as the car rocked violently. "Ugh, I think I'm going to — Hrk!"

"Not in my car!"

"Ugh, that's _disgusting_, Blackie!"

"Die, scrubs!"

"..."

"D-Don't just stand there!" the red-haired Faunus shouted at the two goons standing beside him. "Stop them!"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"I can't _believe _this..." the man muttered furiously, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"So..." Weiss smiled at him mockingly. "You were saying…?"

"Don't look so smug!" He snapped. "I still have you as leverage, Schnee."

"Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

Kyousuke swerved wildly to the left to avoid driving over the edge of the docks and came skidding to a halt. Taking the opportunity, Blake gladly leapt out of the car, kicking an encroaching terrorist in the face. Using the man as leverage, she leapt up, disappearing in a show of pure speed and reappeared behind him.

Crouching down, she swept his legs from beneath him, allowing Kyousuke the opportunity to jump out and land harshly on the man's stomach, knocking him out. Drawing his gunblade, he deflected a slash from another Faunus before striking him across the face with its hilt and kicking him away.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar man with a rocket launcher crouched down atop a nearby crate. "Kirino!" Kyousuke shouted as the man pulled the trigger.

Immediately, his sister fired an arrow at the incoming rocket, freezing it solid and causing it to crash to the ground, inert. The Faunus cursed and made to retreat, only for a second arrow to freeze him to the ground. A third arrow struck him in the chest and exploded, sending him flying into another crate.

Seeing as the last of the foot soldiers had been dispatched, Kyousuke turned towards the man holding Weiss hostage.

"Don't. Move." The red-haired man snarled, pointing a shotgun at Weiss' head. In his other hand, he leveled his katana at them.

"A-Adam?" Blake whispered.

"Feh!" He scoffed, staring at the girl coolly. His eyes scanned her maid uniform contemptuously. "Blake. It's only been two weeks and _this _is what you've been reduced to? A servant?"

The girl grit her teeth. "It's not like that!"

"Then what is it, Blake?!" Adam snarled. "You betrayed us! For what; them?! The goddamn Schnee?!"

"Of course not!" Blake shouted, glaring at him furiously. "I left because what you're doing is _wrong! _Look at yourself, Adam! Look at yourself and tell me that what you're doing is _really _for the good of all Faunus!"

"Of course it is!" The red-haired man hissed, glaring back at her just as angrily. "_Everything_ I do is for the good of all Faunus. We can't live alongside these humans anymore, Blake. That's why I'm going to destroy every last one of them. Starting with _this _one."

"Adam, _please!_" The girl cried, her voice cracking in desperation. "Don't do this! We can live in peace!

"No, we can't," he said coldly, pressing the gun closer to the rapidly paling Weiss. "Any last words you'd like to say, Schnee?"

"Actually, I have something I'd like to say," Kyousuke spoke up, prompting everyone to turn to him in surprise. "Just three words." Adam raised an eyebrow as the boy smiled pleasantly. "Deus. Ex. Machina."

"Wha—" The man's eyes widened as he felt his aura prickling the back of his neck. Desperately, he pulled away from the girl just as a crimson-red scythe slashed through his shotgun, right where his wrist had been just moments before. Leaping away, the man glanced at his now-destroyed weapon and grimaced.

"Weiss!" Kyousuke shouted. "Now!"

Immediately, a white glyph appeared on the ground below the heiress and sent her hurtling towards them. Blake leapt into the air, slashing through the girl's bindings and chair, allowing her to fall back down unimpaired. Before she could hit the ground, Kyousuke deftly caught her in a princess-carry.

"You're late." The girl huffed, smacking him on the chest, though the beaming smile on her face ruined the effect.

"Sorry." He chuckled.

Adam grit his teeth at the scene and glanced up at the person who'd attacked him. "Darn it," Ruby groaned, hefting Crescent Rose over her shoulder. "I missed."

The sound of an engine revving caught his attention and he turned to see a blonde-haired girl on a motorcycle slowing to a stop next to the redhead. "Sorry we're late, Kyo!" Yang said with a grin as she removed her helmet. "I hope you saved some bad guys for us!"

"Apology accepted!" Kyousuke chuckled.

"Don't act so smug!" Adam seethed. "This is _not _over!" As though awaiting these words, several cars pulled into the pier and dozens of White Fang members poured out. Judging by their wounded and weary appearance, this must have been the force that attacked the hotel.

"Well!" Yang's grin merely widened. She cracked her knuckles and activated Ember Celica. "Looks like we came just in time after all!"

"Just don't get too cocky," Kyousuke warned. "You girls take them out while I—"

"Kyousuke," Blake spoke up tersely. "...I want to fight him."

The boy turned to her in surprise. "You sure?"

She nodded. "...I must."

"Well, alright then..."

"I'll join you," Weiss said coolly. "I have a score to settle."

"Then you'll need this!" Saori called out from the car, tossing a long, silver object at her. The heiress raised her hand and deftly caught it.

"Myrtenaster?" she asked in shock. "But how— You know what? Never mind; this just makes things much simpler."

"Alright then," Kyousuke grunted, hefting Blazefire Saber at the rapidly approaching Faunus. "You two be careful, okay?"

"Of course," Weiss nodded as she and Blake dashed towards their opponent.

"Let's go, punks!" Yang roared as she bull-rushed the oncoming horde of terrorists. Ruby did likewise, her semblance allowing her to quickly out-speed her sister and barrel through them, spinning her scythe rapidly.

Kyousuke sighed and sprinted forward as well. He ducked beneath an incoming slash at his jugular and swept his attacker's feet from beneath him. Yang wasted no time in slamming her fist into the man's gut, forming a large crater and causing him to bounce back into the air. The blonde girl grabbed the Faunus by the legs and promptly began using him as a makeshift bludgeoning tool.

"Is that really necessary?!" Kyousuke shouted as he watched her swing the man in a wide arc, sending several of his allies flying.

"You gotta make do with what'cha got, Kyo!" Yang cackled, slamming the abused man back into the ground. "Just like old times, remember?"

"You and I remember old times _very _differently!" He grunted as he kicked another Faunus away. Suddenly, Kyousuke felt a wave of cold wash over him and turned to see several men frozen solid right behind him.

"Pay attention!" Kirino snapped. With a flourish, she jumped onto his back and, using him as leverage, leapt high into the air. Aiming down at the White Fang below, she released a volley of fiery arrows that exploded on contact before landing next to Ruby further into the fray.

"Oho!" Saori chuckled, tapping the frozen men with her lance. "Those sisters of yours are terrifying."

"No kidding," Kyousuke muttered, watching as the two girls made short work of their opponents. "They aren't considered prodigies for nothing."

"I hope Blake-shi and Weiss-shi are doing as well as we are."

"Yeah," the teen said, glancing in the direction the two girls had left. "I do too."

* * *

Adam backpedaled, easily deflecting a flurry of Blake's slashes, before spinning his blade around and slamming the hilt of his sword into her stomach. His mouth twisting into a snarl, he kicked her away and leapt backwards just as Weiss came charging towards him, thrusting her rapier straight at his heart.

The white-haired girl didn't falter and used her momentum to flip into the air. A glyph appeared mid-air, sending her hurtling towards the man once again just as Blake quickly dashed around his flank and made to attack him from behind. Adam simply sidestepped, allowing the two girls to slam straight into each other.

"Watch where you're going, Belladonna!" The heiress snapped.

"Me?" Blake demanded. "_You_ watch where _you're_ going!"

"I don't—" Weiss was cut off as they were both forced to dodge a slash from Adam. Leaping apart, they turned to glare at the man.

"This is pathetic." He scoffed. "The two of you are like oil and water. You're going to end up killing each other before _I_ ever get the chance to."

"Adam, please," Blake said imploringly. "Just stop this."

"And then what?" The man snarled. "Kiss and make up with this _Schnee?_ I'd sooner bend my knee over the chopping block."

"The feeling is mutual!" Weiss spat. "And that wish can certainly be arranged, scum."

"Weiss!" the black-haired girl hissed.

"You're defending him?" The heiress demanded. "This man destroyed the hotel, killing who-knows how many people and even tried to take my life! I will see justice done!"

"I-I know that," Blake whispered. "But, I..."

"What's wrong, Blake?" Adam asked coolly. "We're always supposed to go for the kill. If you side with them, then you'll have to kill me too."

"Adam, please!"

The red-haired man just shook his head. "This is war, Blake." His voice almost sounded regretful as he stared at his former-partner. "Figure out which side you're on."

Without warning, the man crouched down and dashed towards them. Weiss flinched as the clashing of steel resounded across the pier. Looking at the other girl in surprise, she found Blake standing beside her, blocking the redhead's strike.

"If this is how the White Fang chooses to be," the black-haired girl whispered. "Then I want nothing to do with them."

"I see..." Adam leapt back and sheathed his sword within his ruined shotgun before lowering himself into an iaido stance. "Then you choose them."

"Adam..." Blake murmured, her blood running cold as she recognized his lowered posture. Before any of them could make another move, however, the roaring engine of a Bullhead drew their attention upwards.

"Blake! Weiss!" A familiar voice called out from behind them.

"Kyousuke?" Weiss exclaimed as he jogged towards them.

"You two okay?" he asked, staring at Adam warily. The redhead just stared straight back at him.

"As well as I can be given the situation," the heiress nodded.

Adam simply stared at the boy, recognizing him from two weeks prior. He was the same boy he'd found with Blake outside the cemetery. "I see..." He murmured before shaking his head. "It looks like we'll have to cut this short." Out of the clouds, the Bullhead descended and opened its side doors. Barely visible through the dark gloom, Anri stared at them with a curious expression on her face.

"Oh, no you don't!" Weiss snarled.

"Wait, stop!" Kyousuke shouted, grabbing her by the arm. He stared up at the woman in red. "We don't want to deal with that woman. If she's here, then that means..."

"She got past Master Farron...!" Blake's eyes widened. The boy nodded grimly. The three teens could only watch as Adam leapt into the Bullhead and turned to face them once more.

"You lucked out this time, Schnee!" he shouted over the roar of the engine. "Next time, we will end your wretched bloodline."

"Not if we stop you," Blake murmured as the Bullhead took off into the night sky. The three teens watched it go with varying emotions on their faces.

"Hey, Kyo!" The boy turned to see Yang jogging towards them with the others in tow. "Did that creep get away?"

"It was three on one!" Kirino snapped. "How could you let him escape?"

"Because reasons," Weiss said stiffly before turning towards the black-haired girl beside her. "So, Belladonna — if that's even your real name. I believe you have some explaining to do..."

"Weiss—" Kyousuke began.

"...is what I should probably say." The heiress continued. "But I've pretty much already figured everything out from your conversation with that man. You're not really Master Farron's servant, are you?"

"...No," Blake said softly.

"Yes, of course." Weiss nodded. "And you used to be a member of the White Fang, meaning you're a Faunus."

"...Yes."

"I see." She sighed. "Well, whatever."

Blake blinked in surprise. "E-Excuse me?"

"After all, you risked your life to help Kyousuke rescue me," the heiress said. "And as a Schnee, I cannot ignore that." Looking the other girl in the eye, Weiss smiled ever-so-slightly. "Thank you, Blake."

"I... You're welcome." Blake said, still too stunned to say much else.

Nodding, the heiress turned to the group as a whole. "All of you, as well. Thank you."

"Aaaaaww!" Yang cooed with a wicked smirk. "Ice Queen! I knew you liked us!"

"A-As if!" Weiss huffed, crossing her arms and turning away from them. "Just for the record, this does _not_ make us friends. Do you hear me?!"

"Aaaaand she's back." Ruby sighed, shaking her head with a bemused smile.

"Ah, Weiss-shi!" Saori cried out, a wide grin on her face. "I had no idea you were a tsundere! To think... a tsundere ojou-sama..." She shook her head and turned to the sole male of their group. "Kyousuke-shi, I wish you luck!"

The boy just chuckled in response, simply glad that everything was over. "Thanks, I guess." He frowned. "But, it looks like there's one last thing before I can call it a night."

"Master Farron!" Blake blurted out, her eyes widening in realization. Kyousuke nodded and began making his way towards his car; his comrades just a step behind him.

* * *

"Father!"

Svernare's head snapped up as his daughter's voice pierced through the ambient noise of the lobby.

"Weiss!" he cried out upon seeing his daughter weaving her way through the police to get to him. He leapt to his feet and met her halfway, completely ignoring the reporter he'd been speaking to. "Thank God you're safe," Svernare whispered as he swept her into his arms. He looked over her shoulder to see Kyousuke and a small group of teenagers approaching them. "Thank you," he said, staring at the boy; thousands of different emotions simmering in his eyes. "Thank you so much, Kyousuke."

"I can hardly claim all the credit." The teen shrugged. "My friends deserve just as much recognition; if not more so."

"But you did organize us," Yang piped in from behind him. "And without your quick thinking with the KyoDar we never would have found her."

"You led us brilliantly, Kyousuke," Blake said with a small smile. "I honestly don't think this could have gone any better."

"I guess..." He sighed before shaking his head. "Excuse me, sir. But do you know where my instructor is?"

"I believe she is with the medics right now," Svernare said gesturing towards a row of stretchers being led outside to the waiting ambulance. Sitting not too far away from them was his teacher, speaking in murmured tones with a senior medic.

"Thank you," he said quietly. Kyousuke nodded at his friends before making his way over to her. Lightning noticed his approach and dismissed the medic.

"Are you alright?" she asked once he was in speaking distance.

"I could ask the same to you," he countered. "What happened?"

"I slipped up." Lightning grimaced. "And I paid for it."

"Sensei..."

"Never mind about that." She sighed before nodding at him. "It looks like you got her back safely. You did well tonight."

"Not well enough," Kyousuke shook his head, looking at the body bags being pushed out of the lobby. "...How many?"

"Don't do this to yourself," Lightning said sternly. "Don't take this '_time of peace_' crap so literally. Our world is a dangerous place, Kyousuke. People die every day; whether it be to the Grimm or their fellow man. It's sad, but that's the truth of the world."

"Damn it..." He grit his teeth. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You did the best you could." The woman's expression softened. "I know you want to protect everyone, but that way of thinking is innately flawed. It's a path of self-destruction; you'll only end up hurting yourself. It's impossible to save everyone. Just focus on keeping yourself and your loved ones alive."

'_You're wrong, Sensei,__'_ the boy thought. _'There is something I could have done__..._' He was broken out of his rapidly darkening thoughts by a tap on his back. Turning around he saw Weiss standing behind him, looking oddly flustered. "...Weiss?"

"I'll leave you two alone," Lightning shook her head and walked off.

"I... never got to thank you myself," the heiress said softly, fidgeting beneath his gaze.

"You already thanked us back on the docks," Kyousuke assured her but the white-haired girl just shook her head.

"Not just for the rescue," Weiss explained, looking up at him with shimmering eyes. "I know we haven't known each other for very long, but ever since I met you, I've been... happy."

"Weiss...?"

"When we were translating my mother's journals and practicing her song," she continued. "When we fought together and danced together... I felt happy. You were right. I'm not alone. Not anymore."

"I'm glad you feel that way." Kyousuke smiled, only to gasp in shock as Weiss grabbed him by his necktie and forced him downward. Any protest died on his tongue as he felt their lips connect.

He could only stand in shock for several moments until she pulled away. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."

"I- W-Wha..."

"Oi, Ice Queen!" A familiar voice roared. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Simply showing my appreciation to my savior, Honey Badger," Weiss countered, flipping her hair over her shoulder as Yang stormed over to them, her face livid. Blake followed her at a much more sedate pace.

"That sure as hell wasn't _just_ appreciation!" The blonde snapped.

"That did seem a bit inappropriate, all things considered," Blake spoke up.

"Hardly," the heiress said haughtily. "It's only fitting for a princess to reward her favored knight with a kiss."

"Damn it!" Yang snarled. "I'm not losing to you, Ice Queen!"

Without warning, she grabbed Kyousuke by the lapels and proceeded to shove her tongue down his throat. "Yang!" Blake squeaked.

"Now _that_ was inappropriate!" Weiss snapped, dragging the blonde off of the dazed boy. "Ruby, control your brutish sister!"

"She's over talking to the reporters," Yang said, wiping a trail of saliva from her mouth with a small smirk.

"Wait, what?" Kyousuke demanded, finally snapping out of his daze.

"She, Kirino and Saori are talking about everything that happened tonight," Blake explained. "Several news stations were very interested in your exploits."

"By this time tomorrow, the whole city will probably know what happened," Yang said.

"With _our_ company involved?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be surprised if the whole world knows who you are tomorrow."

"...Shit." Kyousuke's face rapidly paled. It seemed he would be saying goodbye to any sense of normalcy for the foreseeable future.

"You okay, Kyo?"

"No. No, I'm not." The boy sighed. "But when has my opinion ever mattered?" He rubbed the bridge of his nose as a wave of exhaustion washed over him. "We'll talk about _this_ later." Kyousuke looked at Weiss and Yang meaningfully. "But right now, all I want to do is go to sleep."

The teen could sleep for days on end if how his body felt was any indication. Too much had happened tonight and his mind was a jumbled mess. He could sort out these feelings and thoughts later.

Only one more week till Beacon.

* * *

**A/N: _From shadows we'll descend upon the world! Take back what you stole!_**

**I'll admit, I was totally humming that when writing this.**

**Jeez, this took damn forever to get out! Sorry about that. College can be pretty rough. I know I said I just had to polish it up, but I ended up rewriting a lot of it. This chapter ended up being really long; easily the longest to date. I'm glad I decided to split it in two.**

**Anyway, writing this made me realize just how bad I am at writing action scenes. I hope what I have is coherent enough to understand. On a side note, it seems Lightning has been keeping up with Destiny/remain evening, amirite?**

**And it seems that finally, FINALLY, the arc ends. There might be another chapter before we head to Beacon or I might just have another time skip. I haven't fully decided yet.**

**I hope you guys treated your mothers well on their special day.**

**Oh, if you happen to be a fan of Fire Emblem: Awakening and harem fanfiction, be sure to check out chapter one of my new fic "Childcare and Warfare (Tales of an Irate Father of Twelve)". Shameless self-advertising, I know.**

**Not much else to say but "Thanks for reading!"**

**Your King**

* * *

Adam snarled to himself as he paced through their hideout; his hand twitching towards his katana every few seconds. "Ara, ara..." Anri simpered from her lounging position atop a large crate. "So agitated, Adam. Care to share?"

"Why do you think?" The red-haired man snapped. "Everything that could have gone wrong tonight, _did _go wrong. Those damn kids knew we would be there. They were ready for us."

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting to run into Claire-chan tonight." The vixen smiled coyly, leaping down from her perch and striding over to him. "But that just made things so much more interesting."

"For you, maybe," Adam growled. "I don't understand why you didn't end her. You had the perfect opportunity if what the men who escaped say is true."

"Hmm? Me? Kill Claire-chan?" The woman raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to kill her. I mean, what would I do with myself if I didn't have someone like Claire-chan around? It's always so hard to make her crack, but when she does... It's glorious. _Addicting_, even. And one day, she won't just crack. She will _break_. And I will be there to witness it."

"Pah!" he spat. "Even so, we still missed our single biggest opportunity to end their bloodline."

"There will always be chances in the future," Anri said soothingly. "Especially given our special little friend on the inside."

"I don't trust her." The man scowled darkly. "I would never trust a Schnee, let alone one that would sell out her own kin."

"Be that as it may," the vixen said, laying a hand against his cheek. "You will continue to follow instructions. You remember what Cinder-chan said, right?"

"You still haven't told me just what you two are planning," Adam frowned.

"In due time," Anri assured him. "But for now…"

"I know," he grunted. "I'll follow orders. But that doesn't mean I have to like it or our little '_friend_'."

"Winter Schnee may be incompetent, but that's the price we pay for having such an easily manipulated pawn," she said with a fox-like grin. "Try and tough it out for me. Won't you, sweetheart?"

Adam just made a small grunting noise before nodding and walking away. Anri shook her head in bemusement before turning her gaze up towards the moon high in the sky.

''_It seems you were right,_ _Cinder-chan_.' She thought with a wry smile. '_The boy does merit further observation. I'll be watching your progress with bated breath, Kyousuke-kun.' _The black-haired woman gazed down at the dagger in her lap and giggled to herself, her tail swishing back and forth in barely suppressed glee.

"Who knows? You might even prove to be more fun than Claire-chan!" Anri grinned. "Until we meet again, Kyousuke-kun."


	11. A Beacon in the Dark

Kyousuke sighed as he sat slumped against the dining room table. It had been less than nine hours since the incident with the White Fang and he could still feel his body aching in protest. Never again, he vehemently thought to himself.

"_Last night, the President of the Schnee Company, Svernare Schnee held his highly anticipated fortieth birthday gala at the Plaza Hotel in downtown Vale. Unfortunately for all involved, the notorious terrorist organization, The White Fang, chose this very night to strike out against the Schnee Company. With what authorities suspect to be inside help, the White Fang infiltrated the hotel's security detail and attacked on the tenth hour."_

The black-haired teen twitched as the reporter's voice drifted over to where he was seated and he resisted the urge to let out a loud groan. In all honesty, he'd thought the girls had been joking when they said reporters would be all over the case. He knew that there would be some coverage, but he never expected the news to blow up so quickly.

His housemates were crowded around the television as they watched the anchor go through a play-by-play reconstruction of what had occurred. Yang and Ruby both looked excited, while Weiss simply seemed content. Kirino, on the other hand, just looked resigned. Blake was off to the side; her suitcase sitting beside her. She'd been about to go home when the newscast had come on and had stuck around to watch with them.

"_Witnesses state that Master Huntress, Claire Farron was present during the attack. Though we were unable to secure a comment from the legendary soldier, witnesses say that she aided in driving off the terrorists. More pressing is that amid the chaos, The White Fang abducted heiress Weiss Schnee and spirited her to the city docks for execution."_

"Here we go!" Ruby said excitedly.

"_However, thanks to the tactical thinking of Miss Schnee's very own fianc__é__, Kyousuke Kousaka, he and his allies were able to locate and rescue her before their dastardly plans could come to fruition. His comrades — among whom is his own sister, Kirino Kousaka, family friend, Ruby Rose as well as Saori Makishima, heiress to Makishima Robotics — were able to provide us with an in-depth summary of the night's events."_

The video feed switched to a recording of Kirino from the previous night.. _"It all started with an explosion. The White Fang had hijacked the President's presentation droid and started attacking the guests. Master Farron ordered us to take it down while she guarded the President."_

The camera shifted over to Saori, who gave a very ojou-sama-like laugh as she smiled at the reporter. "_Ohoho! He was quite dashing if I do say so myself. Kyousuke-san led us into battle with a masterful strategy and we overcame the droid in a swift and timely fashion."_

"_It wasn't **that** impressive!"_ Kirino huffed, crossing her arms defiantly. _"We did most of the work…"_

"_Moving on,_" the reporter prodded. "_It was after this that your party discovered that Miss Schnee had been abducted, correct?_"

"_This is where we come in!_" The camera shifted over to Ruby, who was grinning excitedly. _"The White Fang was escaping, so Big Bro had to improvise a makeshift GPS bullet. Thankfully, it worked, so he had my sister and I track their movements to the docks."_

"_It was quite the rescue,"_ Saori added with a twinkle in her eye. And from his spot in the dining room, Kyousuke felt his gut instinctively clench at the sight of it. _"The charming knight coming to rescue his love from the clutches of evil? It was like something out of a movie or a fairy tale; right down to the one-liners."_

"Please don't…" Kyousuke murmured to himself.

"_Deus ex machina!_" He immediately sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Aww, don't be so shy, Kyo!" Yang said with a grin.

"Indeed," Weiss nodded. "This is good publicity, especially in the wake of what just happened. Under normal circumstances, our company would take quite a hit in stocks, since people don't want to be associated with the White Fang. But with your heroics last night, stocks have actually risen by 5% as of this morning."

"There was nothing heroic about it," the teen said with a grimace. "Just turn it off, please."

"_Mister Kousaka seems like quite a remarkable person._" The reporter went on.

"_He would disagree with you, but I think so, at least."_

"Hey…" The black-haired teen frowned as their attention returned to the screen.

"_Indeed. Kyousuke-san is many things, but 'normal' certainly is not one of them."_

"Okay, seriously." Kyousuke's mouth set into a hard line. "Turn it off. This isn't funny anymore."

"_Is that so? And what makes you say that?"_

"_Kyousuke-san is the son of two prominent members of society, is engaged to the heiress of the biggest conglomerate in the world and is trained by the legendary Master Farron. He has even gained the attention of the likes of Professors Ozpin and Ironwood."_

The teen grit his teeth as Saori went on, his hand clenching into a fist. He didn't want to hear this. "Turn it off!"

"_That's a very impressive resume for one so young."_ The recording ended and the video feed returned to the news anchor. _"Just who is this young man to have garnered the attention of so many prominent individuals? Unfortunately, we were unable to secure a comment from the hero of the hour; though not for lack of trying. Our reporters have been—"_

The woman's words were cut off as Kyousuke unplugged the television from the outlet. "Hey!" Ruby exclaimed in surprise. "What was that for—" She trailed off as she saw the hard look in his eyes. "...Big Bro?"

"That's enough," he growled.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Kirino demanded with a deep-set scowl.

Weiss nodded her agreement. "I understand that you dislike being the center of attention, but this is getting out-of-hand. Your behavior is unacceptable!"

"This has nothing to do with me being the center of attention!" Kyousuke snapped, causing her to flinch back; a hurt expression on her face.

"Then what is it about, Kyousuke?" Blake asked quietly. He turned to her, his eyes unfathomable.

"What is this about?" he repeated softly. "I thought of all people, you would understand, Blake."

"We won't understand unless you talk to us, Kyo," Yang said soothingly. Kyousuke grit his teeth and glared out the window.

"...Do you know how many people died last night?"

They blinked at the question and turned to one another uncertainty. "...No."

"Exactly." Kyousuke grimaced. "Not even a throwaway mention by the media. All anyone seems able to focus on is me. _Me_; a hero? Hah!"

"Kyo…" Yang muttered, comprehension finally dawning in her eyes. This wasn't about last night… This was about..!

"But… we won, didn't we?" Ruby asked weakly.

"No, we didn't," Kyousuke said with a tired sigh. He shook his head. "I'm sorry for blowing up like that. I just... need some time alone."

They watched quietly as he trudged upstairs towards his room, his frame visibly sagging in exhaustion. A heavy silence fell over the room as they heard his bedroom door click shut. None of them seemed capable of speaking; each lost within their own thoughts.

Yang stared up at where Kyousuke had disappeared; a pained look in her eyes that Blake was quick to catch onto. The Faunus' mind drifted back to their first meeting. Specifically, a certain girl's grave.

"_This is my sin. This is the life I ruined._"

"Yang," the black-haired girl spoke up, breaking the silence. "This isn't just about last night, is it? Kyousuke seems to take death unusually hard. This had something to do with Manami, doesn't it?"

The blonde actually choked as she turned to her in shock. "H-He told you?"

"More like showed me," Blake said wryly.

"Just what are you talking about?" Weiss demanded, glancing between the two.

Yang continued to stare at Blake for several moments before signing and running a hand through her golden locks. "Manami," she said quietly. "She was a friend of ours that died three years ago."

"Wait, three years ago?" Ruby exclaimed, her eyes widening at the implication. Beside her, Kirino stiffened, though she otherwise didn't react.

"Yeah," she said with a sad smile. "Ruby, Kirino; do you guys remember Kyo's and my old gang? We used to hang out all the time."

The two younger girls glanced at each other uncertainly. "Well…" the redhead mumbled. "I remember some of them. There was that green-haired girl and that tall, lanky boy…"

"Emerald and Mercury," Yang said with nostalgic expression on her face. "Emerald always had a thing for that grey-haired punk, but he was too hung up on Manami to notice…"

"I remember a pair of siblings." Kirino threw in her two cents. "One boy and one girl — both had brown hair and eyes."

"Kouhei and Sena Akagi." The blonde grinned. "Kouhei was a pervert siscon, but Sena would always put him in his place. With my help, of course." She quickly shook her head, lest she lose herself in her own memories. "Anyway, do you remember a girl with glasses? Brown hair, grey eyes; bob cut?"

"Oh, her!" Kirino exclaimed. "Neighbor girl!"

"Kyo always hated it when you called her that," Yang said with a wistful smile. "That was Manami. She was Kyo's first friend."

"Really?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "From the way you act, I would have assumed _you _were."

"No, Ruby and I were originally from Patch, an island off the coast of Vale," she explained. "I didn't meet him until we moved into the city proper when I was seven. No, that place in Kyo's heart belongs to Manami."

"And how did she… die?" Blake prodded, wishing to get back to the issue at hand.

"I'm getting there," Yang said. "Back then, Kyo and Manami were the core of our group. The de facto leaders, if you will. But they didn't always agree on a course of action. Kyo craved adventure, while Manami treasured everyday life."

"Kyousuke said something of the sort." The cat Faunus murmured. "He said that he wanted to be a hero."

"Yeah," Yang said wistfully. "He did. He had this… _aura_. This… _drive _that inspired us to follow him. He even convinced the old-lady-like Manami to follow him. We went on adventures; fighting monsters and busting petty criminals. It was… fun. We were invincible. We could do anything."

"But one day, you got in over your heads," Blake pressed on, remembering Kyousuke's words the day they met.

"Yes." The blonde grimaced. "We were tracking what we thought was a small-time drug dealer. We had no idea he was a major player in the cartel. And they'd been waiting for us. Trapped like rats, we were forced to fight our way out. But when they realized that they couldn't contain us, they set fire to the whole damn building — trying to take us and their own men with it."

"Y-Yang…!" Ruby whispered; a horrified look on her face. She had no idea her own sister had been involved in something so big. Kirino on the other hand, simply stared at her; wide-eyed.

"It seems there truly is much I don't know about him…" Weiss muttered; a faraway look on her face as she gazed out the window.

"And what happened next?" Blake asked quietly.

"Seven of us went in," Yang said, a pained look in her eyes. "Only six came out." She closed her eyes as memories of that horrific night surfaced in her mind. Shaking her head, she sighed. "Everything changed after that. Mercury disappeared without a word a few days later. Emerald eventually went looking for him, but we haven't heard from her since. The Akagi siblings moved to Vacuo a few months down the line. They still email us sometimes, but that's about the extent of it."

"And Kyousuke?" Weiss asked softly.

"Kyo…" The blonde girl sighed. "He broke. All his passion and dreams died with Manami that night. Ever since then, he's just been shuffling along listlessly. I-I tried to help him. I tried so damn _**hard**_."

"Yang…" Ruby muttered, the bitterness in her sister's voice cutting deep.

"But then, you guys happened," Yang said wryly.

"Excuse me?" The white-haired heiress raised an eyebrow at her.

"It all started with Ruby forcing him to protect her," she explained. "She forced him to _act_ for the first time in three years. Then, Ice Queen came along and got him all flustered with her fake engagement and forced him further out of his shell. Then, Blake came with her White Fang craziness that forced him to pick up his training again."

The blonde girl smiled bitterly. "In one sense, I'm grateful to you guys for getting him to come out of his shell," she said blithely. "But in another sense, I resent you for doing what I was unable to do."

Her companions could only stare at her; utterly speechless at her bittersweet confession. Blake, however, shook her head. "I think you're looking at it the wrong way," she said. "You say you couldn't help him, but from what I see, he relies on you the most out of any one of us here."

Yang raised an eyebrow at her. "And what makes you say that?"

"When he's with you, Kyousuke lets down his guard," Blake explained. "You are his oldest, most constant companion. You give him a sense of security and stability that we are incapable of. With Kirino and Ruby, he is burdened by his desire to be a sibling and role model. With Weiss, he is burdened by the expectations of their families and the media. And with me, he is burdened by the blood and responsibility I have forced into his hands. But when he is with _you_, he smiles more freely than I have ever seen. With you, he is allowed to be himself. With you, he can just be _Kyo_."

"Blake…" Yang muttered; her eyes widening as Blake gave her a small smile. "You're right… When you put it like that, I _am_ pretty awesome, aren't I?"

Her companions nearly fell over. "Way to ruin the mood, Blondie," Kirino muttered.

"Seriously though. Thanks, Blake." The blonde graced them with a genuine smile before a serious look entered her eyes. "But that still leaves Kyo himself."

The reminder caused them all to turn their eyes towards the stairs. "...I'll speak to him," Blake said.

"Are you sure?" Yang asked.

"Like I said," she frowned. "I have forced this situation onto him. It should be me that deals with the fallout."

"Well..." The other girl sighed. "If you're positive."

"I am." Blake nodded. She turned her gaze to the stairs once more and steeled herself.

* * *

Kyousuke sighed to himself as he stared at the no-name newspaper sitting on his desk. Specifically, he found his gaze locked upon the tiny obituary in the corner of the last page.

"Kyousuke?" Blake's voice broke him out of his reverie.

"Hello, Blake," the teen murmured. He turned to see her entering the room; her suitcase slung over her shoulder.

"Yang told us about the incident three years ago."

"She did, huh?" Kyousuke sighed tiredly. "I really shouldn't have blown up like that. It's hardly their fault that the media is so one-sided."

"But your anger is understandable." Blake shook her head and deposited her suitcase onto his bed. Her gaze fell upon the newspaper sitting before him. "What is that?"

Immediately, his face fell at the unpleasant reminder. "It's an obituary." He explained. "The only mention of last night's casualties I could find."

"At least someone mentioned them," the black-haired girl reasoned.

"But it's a hollow consolation." Kyousuke grimaced, tossing the newspaper towards her. "First column; third row down."

She caught it deftly and scanned the page for the name in question. "...Sergeant J. Martin, aged 36. No other information given."

"It was Marty, from last night, remember?" Kyousuke chuckled sardonically. "He saved my life yesterday and this is what he was reduced to; just another name in a list. Whereas the media is treating _me_ like the second coming of Christ."

"Kyousuke…"

"I could have done something, Blake," he said bitterly. "I knew beforehand what would happen, but I didn't tell anyone. I arrogantly thought I could save everyone on my own."

"..."

"...You're right," she said softly. "We could have done something. But I selfishly asked you to remain silent. I forced you to choose between me and dozens — _hundreds _of lives. This blood is on my hands more than any other."

"Blake, you know I didn't mean it like that," Kyousuke said sharply. "You didn't force me to do anything. In the end, it was my decision."

"But I _did _coerce you." Blake retorted. "It's my burden to carry, not yours."

"Blake..."

"Kyousuke."

"..."

"..."

"...Pfft!" The girl raised an eyebrow as he suddenly burst into laughter.

"...Did I miss something?"

"Ha! Look at us," Kyousuke chuckled. "Fighting over who gets to take the blame."

Blake paused for a moment before giving a wry smile of her own. "I suppose there is something wrong with both of us in this case."

They both allowed themselves a moment of joviality before returning to the topic at hand. "In any case, this isn't a burden to carry alone, Blake."

"But—"

"The lives lost last night were our fault and ours alone." Kyousuke said. "We both share the blame. To do otherwise would disrespect both them and their families."

"...If you insist." Blake finally conceded with a sigh.

"I do," the teen said with a wry smile. He glanced over at the suitcase sitting on his bed. "You ready to head home?"

"Yes. I've been away for long enough." She nodded her head and strode over to retrieve the case in question. "With Ruri heading to Beacon next week, someone needs to stick around to look after our sisters."

"And that someone is you?" he asked; surprised. "What about your parents?"

"They both work multiple jobs to support us," Blake said with a small sigh. "Ruri has always dreamed of becoming a Huntress. So, the job of caretaker now falls to me."

"Then... this is the last time we'll see each other?"

"Only if we choose not to see each other." She smiled at him. "I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet you, Kyousuke."

"Likewise, Blake." He returned her smile and watched as she opened his window. In a single, graceful motion, she slid out and onto the small veranda.

"Keep an eye on Ruri for me," the black-haired girl requested. "You know how she sometimes acts before thinking things through."

"Will do." He nodded. "You sure you don't want a ride? Tempest is just out front."

The girl actually blanched at the mention of his car. "Er, no thank you. I think I'll walk."

"If you're sure…"

"I am." She paused. "Just one last thing." Blake glanced over her shoulder and gave him a tiny smile. "If you ever need my help, just give me a call. I'll be there."

"Ditto." Kyousuke gave her one, last smile. "See you around, Blake."

And with that, the Faunus girl disappeared from his life in the exact same manner she had entered it. He stared out the open window for several moments; a strange feeling of loss blossoming in his chest. With a bemused shake of his head, he closed the window.

Sighing to himself, he gently folded the newspaper and placed it on a prominent spot on his desk. He would hang the obituary up at a later date. With that simple task done, he turned his attention to the door and — more importantly — the people that lay behind it. He should probably apologize for his harsh words.

Steeling himself, he made his way downstairs, where he could faintly hear the television once again on a news report. The news anchor seemed to be the same person as before, but this time, she was singing a different tune.

"_Just minutes ago, Svernare Schnee released a statement regarding last night's events; calling the loss of life the single biggest tragedy in the company's recent history. Mister Schnee states the following;" _

"_Although monetary compensation is hardly equivalent to the life of a loved one, the Schnee Company will strive to do its best to support the families of the deceased in their time of grief.__"_

"_A memorial service for the deceased will be held at the town square on Sunday. When we come back; a tribute to the fallen here on VNN, hosted by Lisa Lavender."_

"Weiss…" Kyousuke murmured; shaking his head bemusedly. Making his way into the living room, he found his housemates still crowded around the television and conversing in hushed tones; falling silent as he made his presence known.

The silence lasted for only a moment before they each attempted to speak at once.

"Kyo, I—"

"I wish to apologize for my harsh—"

"I'm sorry, Bro!"

"Hmph… sorry…"

He quickly brought his hand up to cut them off. "None of you need to apologize," the teen said. "If anyone should apologize, it's me. My behavior was completely unwarranted. I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on you."

"So, Blake talked to you?" Ruby questioned. "Where is she, anyway?"

"She took off," he replied; that feeling of loss not quite gone. "Her parents are working, so she needs to take care of her sisters."

"Oh," the redhead muttered sadly. "She didn't even say goodbye."

"I'm sure we'll run into her again someday," Kyousuke said; shaking his head. He turned to a pair of them in particular. "Yang, Weiss, about what happened last night—"

"Shh…" He was cut off was Yang placed a finger against his lips. "It's fine, Kyo. Ice Queen and I reached an agreement."

"It was wrong to force ourselves on you like that," the white-haired girl explained; not looking him in the eye. "So Honey Badger and I declared a ceasefire for the time being. Until the time is right."

"But watch out, Kyo," the buxom blonde said with a mischievous grin. "Cause when the time comes, we'll be all over you like feathers on a chocobo."

"Yang!" Weiss shrieked; a scandalized look on her face.

"A-Anyway…" Kyousuke broke in; his face glowing red. "Weiss, I wanted to say thanks for calling your old man."

"Hmph!" The heiress turned her nose up at him, though her cheeks were dusted with a rosy blush. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"If you say so." He chuckled before settling down on the couch to watch the tribute. He should probably go to the memorial service as well. It would be a good way to send himself off before they headed out to Beacon on Monday.

Kyousuke could only hope that any media interest in him died down before then.

* * *

You know, by now, he really should learn to not get his hopes up.

"Mister Kousaka, were you frightened when you faced the White Fang?"

"Are you planning on taking over the Schnee Company from Svernare Schnee?"

"How long have you known Master Farron?"

"It's been noted that you are living with multiple girls. Are you starting a harem, Mister Kousaka?"

"Yes. No. None of your business. And _definitely_ not!" Kyousuke growled as he shoved his way passed the frenzied reporters and toward the shuttle that would be taking them to the academy grounds.

It seemed that time and basic decorum in the face of tragedy was _not_ enough to deter the media from hounding him.

"No. Possibly. Eight years. And _hell_ yes_!_" Yang's voice drifted over from behind him.

"Damn it, Yang!" he snapped as the shuttle doors closed behind them with an audible hiss.

"What?" She shrugged. "If you throw them a bone, maybe they'll be satisfied."

"You've obviously never dealt with the media, then." Weiss huffed. "They're like internet trolls. The more you feed them, the more frenzied they get."

"Relax," Kirino grunted. "Reporters aren't allowed on campus grounds. By the time the semester ends, things'll have died down."

"I hope so," Kyousuke sighed.

"Yeah, cheer up!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly. "This is it! We're going to Beacon!"

"Don't remind me." He moaned piteously as the airship called for the final passengers to board. "I just hope I can lay low and drop out once things settle down."

After all, Ozpin's condition was for him to attend. No one said anything about him staying there for the full four years.

"Do you have any idea how it would reflect on my family if you did that?" Weiss snapped; glaring at him balefully. "You're _not _dropping out. Understand?"

Or not. But it was nice to dream.

"Yes, ma'am." Kyousuke sighed.

"_...minutes ago, a friend of Kyousuke Kousaka — identified as Yang Xiao Long — stated that Mister Kousaka is indeed starting a harem._" The voice of a familiar news reporter drifted over from a large screen several yards away.

"Goddamn it, Yang!" The teen growled as several people began whispering while sending their group strange glances.

"Ehehe…" The blonde in question smiled sheepishly. "Whoops?"

"Ugh!" Thankfully, the students' attention was returned to the television screen as a hologram of Professor Goodwitch was projected into the shuttle.

"_Hello, future Hunters_," Glynda said crisply. "_I would like to be the first to welcome you to Beacon. Those of you gathered today are among the select few chosen to attend our prestigious academy._"

"Is she that Goodwitch person you mentioned?" Yang asked curiously as the woman went on to give a rousing speech that the group (sans Weiss) half-ignored. "She doesn't look so bad."

"Er, yeah..." Ruby said, sharing an uneasy look with Kyousuke. Both of them clearly remembered the woman's dour personality and her unnervingly exorbitant use of her riding crop.

"_...Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace._" Professor Goodwitch's hologram went on. "_And as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is __**your **__duty to uphold it. Your presence here has demonstrated that you possess the courage necessary for the task. Now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and training to protect our world._"

The students present on the ship let out a resounding cheer as the blonde woman's image faded away. Suddenly, the ship's window shutters opened, revealing a stunning view of Vale from miles above the ground. Kyousuke blinked in surprise. He hadn't even been aware that they'd taken off yet.

"Oh, wow!" Ruby's voice drew him out of his reverie as the redhead rushed over to gaze out the window. "Guys, look! You can see Signal from here!"

As Yang and Weiss made their way over to peer out the window, Kyousuke's attention was drawn to a choking sound from behind him. Turning towards the noise, he saw a blond-haired boy throw a hand over his mouth; his face turning an unhealthy shade of green.

"Uh…" The black-haired teen coughed awkwardly. "You okay?"

"Yrrr, torlly— _HRK... _torlly fnn…" The boy mumbled through his hand as he unsteadily made his way over to a nearby wall and began leaning against it; closing his eyes in an attempt to settle himself.

"...Airsick?" Kyousuke asked; a sympathetic look on his face.

"Yeah…" The blond groaned piteously. "It's— ugh… much more common than you'd think."

"Here," the black-haired teen offered; dropping his suitcase next to him and opening it to reveal a basic first aid kit that his mother had packed for them. Reaching into the kit, Kyousuke withdrew a bottle of Schnee-brand all-purpose pain reliever. "It's not much but it should at least make the nausea bearable."

The other teen eagerly opened the proffered bottle and popped one of the pills. Sighing to himself, the blond slumped against the wall. Kyousuke wasn't sure if it was in relief or dejection. Maybe both.

"Thanks," the boy muttered. "Ugh… Not even at the academy yet and I'm already having a terrible time of it..."

"Hah, I hear you!" Kyousuke chuckled. The blond glanced up at him in surprise before offering an embarrassed smile. "I'm Kyousuke."

"Right," the other teen said sheepishly. "The name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue; ladies love it."

"Do they, now?" Kyousuke quipped. "Do they also love the green-faced vomiting sessions?"

"Hey, now!" Jaune exclaimed. "I managed not to spew my guts… this time…"

"What was that last part?"

"Nothing!" The blond said hastily.

"Oi, _Aniki, _let's go! The ship will be docking in two minutes!"

It was Kirino. Kyousuke wasn't sure what Yang had told them, but ever since she spoke to them about the incident three years ago, his little sister had been much more forgiving in her referring of him. Whereas before she would simply refer to him with an impersonal "you". Granted, it was nowhere near the proper _nii_-_san _one would expect, it was still a remarkable improvement.

Shaking his head in bemusement, Kyousuke held out his hand. "We'd better go," he said. Jaune nodded and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

As the two teens made their way over towards the students crowding around the door, Kyousuke felt the ship rock slightly as it touched down. "_All students are to assemble in the ampitheater for the orientation ceremony."_ A mechanized voice rang throughout the ship as students began disembarking.

"My friends should be around here somewhere," Kyousuke mused aloud. "What about you?"

"Ah..." His blond companion smiled sheepishly. "I'm here alone, to tell you the truth. You're actually the first person I've spoken to here..."

"I see…" he said, furrowing his brow. "Well, you wanna stick with me for the ceremony? I'll introduce you to my friends."

"Sounds great." Jaune grinned. "My mom always said that strangers are just friends you haven't met yet. I'm glad to see it's holding up."

"Alright. Just hold on for a second..." Kyousuke held up a hand. The two teens stood there in silence for several moments. It was only after nearly a full minute of silence that Jaune began to shift awkwardly.

"...What exactly are we waiting for?"

Kyousuke turned to him in surprise. "You can't hear it?"

"Hear what?" Jaune glanced at him in confusion.

"Listen closely." The blond did so, furrowing his eyebrows in concentration.

"...do you think you are, you Satanic goth-loli?!"

"Oh, that's rich coming from the girl with pedo-lezzy tendencies. Please come speak to me when your interests are no longer a danger to society."

"How dare you compare _Meruru _to your fujoshi's wet dream?!"

"You wanna go, _kupo?!_"

"...That shouting?" Jaune asked incredulously. "Those are your friends?"

"Unfortunately," Kyousuke said dryly as he began leading the way towards the source of the argument. "If you ever need to track them down, just follow the sound of arguing. My sister in particular has always had a knack for it."

"Ouch." The blond winced sympathetically. "I hear you. I grew up with seven sisters myself."

"You're kidding!" Kyousuke turned to him; a horrified expression on his face. Having to live with seven Kirinos… Someone kill him now.

"Unfortunately not." Jaune shuddered. "And to make matters worse, my old man was hardly ever around. It's not easy being the only guy in an estrogen-charged household."

"Now _that _I can relate to." The two shared a look that conveyed much more than mutual understanding. It was one of deep respect for the other's continued survival. Wiping the tears out of his eye, Kyousuke pushed his way out of the crowd to see Kirino arguing with a familiar cosplaying Faunus girl. Ruby, Yang and Weiss all hung back, watching the ongoing squabble with an awkward air about them.

"These are your friends?" Jaune asked; his eyes bugging out. He'd never seen so many beautiful girls gathered in one place before!

"To my shame," Kyousuke shook his head wryly. "Just what happened here...?"

"Pretty much a repeat of what happened the day they met," a familiar voice said from behind him, causing his eyes to widen as the telltale clicking of heels reached his ears.

"Blake?!" he exclaimed.

"Hello, Kyousuke," the Faunus girl gave him an amused smile. "We meet again."

"Another one?!" Jaune whispered incredulously from beside him. "Is this a school for Hunters or supermodels?"

"But... what happened to taking care of your sisters?"

"Funny story," Blake said; her lips quirking upwards in dry humor. "Less than a day after I came home, my father was suddenly offered a high-paying job with the Schnee Company. My mother insisted that she quit her jobs so she could be a proper mother and told me to come here with Ruri."

"Is that so…?" Kyousuke murmured, catching the eye of a certain heiress. The white-haired girl just huffed and averted her gaze. Chuckling slightly, he turned to smile at the Faunus. "In any case, it's good to see you, Blake."

"And I, you." She shook her head bemusedly. "Now, I think we should break this up before it gets out-of-hand. The ceremony will be starting soon, after all."

"Right..." Kyousuke sighed and turned to the squabbling girls in question. "Okay! That's enough! We have places to be, people!"

"She started it!" Kirino growled petulantly.

"Blake!" Ruby exclaimed cheerfully. "It's good to see you again!"

"Likewise, Ruby," the older girl said with a nod. Kuroneko, meanwhile simply turned to face him with a single eyebrow raised; her animated doll floating beside her.

"You…" she murmured; her brow furrowing in thought. "I remember you. Ah… So you're the one my dearest sister has been servicing for the past few weeks."

"R-Ruri!" Blake squeaked indignantly. "Do you have to make it sound so scandalous?"

"Oho, but it is true, is it not?"

"_Lots_ of servicing, _kupo!_"

"Anyway," Weiss huffed; her patience running thin. "Who is this?" She gestured towards the blond standing beside him.

"The name's Jaune," the boy in question replied smoothly. "What's your name, Snow Angel?"

"Weiss," she said tonelessly. "And drop the _Snow Angel_. I'm already spoken for."

"Figures." Jaune sighed. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"You're standing next to him." He blinked at the unexpected answer before turning to his companion. Slowly, his eyes widened in horror.

"Seriously?" he whispered. "Aw, crap! I'm sorry, man. I had no idea!"

"It's fine," Kyousuke said with a sigh. "But we really should get going."

"He's right," Yang said. "The ceremony starts in ten minutes and we've got a long walk to get there."

"Finally," Kirino grunted. "Let's go."

"You were the one holding us up in the first place," Kyousuke deadpanned. She, predictably, ignored him. Groaning to himself, he began leading the way towards the coliseum looming in the distance. Not even fifteen minutes onto academy grounds and he could already feel the beginnings of a headache creeping into his skull. He just hoped he didn't end up running into any more surprises.

From various places across campus, people sneezed.

* * *

**A/N: I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. My summer schedule ended up being even more hectic than I expected. We're finally at Beacon, though I'm saving the majority of introductions for next time. In the words of a wise mutant, "I'm holding your neck so you don't get whiplash".**

**This was more of a transitional chapter than anything else. It was surprisingly difficult for me to transition from the previous arc into the Beacon arrival arc. I hope it didn't seem too awkward.**

**Stuff was revealed and even more stuff was hinted at. Quite a few of you already guessed many of my future plot points. Party poopers. No cake for you. (****ಠ_ಠ)**

**Anyway, I hope you somewhat enjoyed this chapter. But before I go, more shameless self-advertising! If you're a fan of Sekirei, I have a few chapters of a new fic called "Unlimited" out. Be sure to give it a gander.**

**Thanks for reading**

**\- Your King**


	12. Metal Gear Faunus

Kyousuke squinted slightly as his eyes tried to adjust to the change in lighting. As it turned out, the campus was _much_ larger than any of them had been anticipating. After nearly ten minutes of attempting to navigate through the school grounds (and receiving some unhelpful directions from a couple of upperclassmen) their group finally found their destination near the heart of the campus.

"There's… a lot more people here than I was expecting," Jaune noted; a look of surprise on his face. "The way Goodwitch was talking, I was expecting there to be less than a hundred."

Indeed, there was _well _over that amount students gathered in the amphitheater. Unbeknownst to his companions, he let out a tiny sigh of relief. With so many other students, there was a far lesser chance of him getting singled out and exposed for what he really is...

"A lot of them are probably going to get weeded out," Yang said offhandedly.

"S-Seriously?" Jaune asked; his face going pale.

"It's a school for training Hunters." Kuroneko sniffed. "The _best _school for training Hunters. People who can't handle it either fail, drop out…"

"Or die." Kirino said bluntly.

Kyousuke glanced at the blond boy in concern after hearing him make a distressed whining noise. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." Jaune half chuckled, half choked. "Just peachy."

"...If you're sure." The black-haired teen sighed; shaking his head and turning his attention to the empty stage before them. "Didn't they tell us to— ACK!"

Whatever he'd been about to say was immediately cut off as something massive and furry collided into him; sending the boy tumbling to the ground in a mass of flailing limbs.

"The hell is that...?!" Yang asked as the group stared at the creature incredulously. Beside her, Blake and Kuroneko both stiffened at the sight of the beast.

"It's a dog!" The younger of the two hissed; stepping behind her sister; who herself took a step behind Yang and Weiss. "Filthy cretin…!"

"Never mind that!" Kyousuke grunted as the dog assaulted his face with its tongue. "Where did it come from?"

"Wait a second…" Kirino's eyes widened. "I recognize that dog…! It's—"

"Oh, no!" a voice cried out. "Angela, stop that! Bad dog!"

As one, the rest of their entourage turned as someone broke away from the crowd of students and jogged towards them. Kyousuke himself could only stare in mild shock; even as the dog continued to slather his face in saliva.

While all of his female friends were certainly very attractive in their own right, the girl that was approaching them could only be described as drop dead _gorgeous_. Angelic, even. Long, ebony locks framing a heart-shaped face and violet eyes; unblemished, alabaster skin and a pure, innocent smile. Truly, her beauty was in a class of its own!

Beside him, Jaune was similarly mesmerized by the girl's beauty; his earlier grief completely forgotten in the wake of this angelic creature gracing them with its presence. No words escaped either of them. Instead they simply stood there, utterly slack-jawed like a couple of village idiots.

On the other hand, the girls not named "Kirino" seemed to be completely indifferent to this image of beauty descending upon them or even _hostile _in Yang's case. The blonde in question had alarm bells ringing in her head as the shorter girl approached them. She had quickly zeroed in on her childhood friend's reaction and was _not _pleased. Likewise, Weiss also noticed his reaction and filed it away for later analysis.

**Threat has been detected.**

"Ayase!" Kirino exclaimed happily as the other girl finally came within speaking distance.

"Kirino?" The black-haired girl blinked at her in surprise before her face blossomed into a smile of her own. "Kirino! You're really here!"

"I am," Kirino laughed; sharing a hug with her longtime friend. "It's good to see you, Ayase."

"I hate to interrupt," Kyousuke grunted as the dog continued its incessant licking. "But would you mind…?"

"Oh!" The newly identified Ayase squeaked; an embarrassed look crossing her face. She quickly grabbed her dog by the collar and dragged it off of him. "I'm sorry about that. She just really loves meeting new people. My name is Ayase, by the way."

"It's fine," he said with a small sigh; wiping the saliva from his face. "The name's Kyousuke."

"Oh!" the black-haired girl exclaimed; her eyes widening. "I thought you looked familiar! You're Kirino's brother! She wouldn't stop talking about you after the incident a week ago!"

"Ayase!" Kirino squeaked; her face turning red.

"A-Ah," Ayase started slightly and gave her a sheepish smile. Apparently that was supposed to stay a secret. "S-So… Kirino, who are your friends?"

"I wouldn't exactly call them friends." The other girl huffed; quickly regaining her composure. "More like my brother and his bimbo girlfriends."

This elicited an immediate response as several parties all began to shout at once..

"_Excuse me?!_" Weiss snapped indignantly.

"I prefer the term _battle harem_," Yang corrected with a sly grin.

"A-A harem?" Ayase squeaked.

"You have a harem?!" Jaune cried out; turning to stare at his newest friend incredulously.

"God DAMMIT, Yang!" Kyousuke growled; furiously massaging his temples as a headache began to creep into his skull.

"Well, you guys sure are being noisy." Another voice spoke up from behind him. One that Kyousuke hadn't heard in years. "Looks like things haven't changed a bit; have they, _taicho?_"

'_That's not possible…!'_ The black-haired teen thought incredulously as he spun around to face the speaker. _'They moved to Vacuo three years ago!'_

But it was. A familiar face he hadn't seen in years; with the same short brown hair and silver eyes. He still dressed like a punk; with a black leather vest thrown over a white tank top; ridiculous purple jeans with a red belt and black combat boots.

And if that wasn't enough, the distinctive lion tattooed on his right shoulder was a dead giveaway. It was…

"_Arghaogfosdaa!_" The brown-haired teen cried out something unintelligible as Ayase suddenly spun around and thrust a taser she drew out of nowhere into his chest. The group of teenagers could only watch in horrified fascination as he lit up like a Christmas tree and collapsed onto the ground.

"Oh!" Ayase finally realized what she had done and leapt back. "I-I'm sorry! You startled me!"

"Ugh... And your first reaction is to taser me?!" The boy groaned as he slowly pick himself up. "You remind me of— _ARRRGHHH!_" Yang suddenly punched him in the jaw; causing him to crash into a nearby wall and leaving a sizeable indent in the once-pristine marble. "Ungh…What the hell was that for?!"

"Sorry," Yang said bluntly; though her face remained completely unapologetic. "I saw your ugly face and had the inexplicable urge to punch it."

"H-His skin...!" Jaune whispered frantically; staring at the black, exoskeleton-like material that had appeared the moment Yang struck the brown-haired teen.

"Feh!" The brunet spat on the ground; rubbing his jaw. The black material was just now beginning to fade away. "I guess some things really do never change, huh? Little Dragon?"

"Don't call me Dragon!" the blonde snapped irritably. "The entire damn school started calling me that thanks to you."

Kyousuke just sighed; still staring at the boy incredulously. "What are you doing here, Akagi?"

"Is it really any surprise we would end up here?" Yet _another_ voice questioned and the black-haired teen could only rub the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Of course she would be here. Where one Akagi sibling went, the other was surely nearby.

"Sena!" Yang exclaimed; her greeting noticeably warmer than her reaction to the older Akagi.

"Sena," Kyousuke greeted with a half smile. "When'd you start wearing glasses?"

"It's been a long time, Captain." The brown-haired girl nodded in return; glancing at her charred and bruised sibling. "Yang." Unlike her hoodlum-like brother, Sena was dressed prim and proper in a pair of form fitting jeans, a white dress shirt, red necktie and beige cardigan.

"As for my glasses, well…" She trailed off, but they understood exactly what she was getting at. The younger of the Akagi siblings had worn contacts in her youth, but ever since Manami's passing, she'd chosen to start wearing glasses as tribute of sorts.

"They look good on you." Kyousuke offered and immediately, the look on Sena's face turned sly.

"Oh, you like them, Captain?" She practically purred. "Glasses always were your thing..."

"Times have changed, Sena," Yang said; patting her on the shoulder and shaking her head pityingly. "You have a lot of catching up to do."

"Really? Darn."

Kyousuke frowned and opened his mouth to issue a retort when a cough drew their attention. He turned to see the rest of their group staring at them. "Are you going to introduce us?" Weiss asked; an irritated look on her face.

"Ah, right," the black-haired teen said; smiling sheepishly. He gestured towards the siblings in order of their appearance. "This is Kouhei and Sena. Yang and I used to hang out with them."

"The siblings that moved to Vacuo?" Ruby asked. The siblings in question turned to her in surprise.

"Yeah." Akagi nodded. "We moved a few months after the... incident."

"I suppose that would explain why Kyousuke was so surprised to see you." Weiss noted. "Why wouldn't you attend the Hunter's Institution of Vacuo?"

"Forgive me for not wanting to spend the next four years at HIV." He said dryly; only to hold his hands up in surrender as she glared at him. "Okay, seriously, though. It's for the same reason a corporate heiress from Atlas would come to study in Vale. It's the best Hunter's school in all of Remnant, after all." The brown-haired teen turned to smirk at Kyousuke. "Well, that and to reunite with our knight in shining armor here!"

Kyousuke sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You know about that?"

"Are you kidding?" Sena asked; raising an eyebrow at him. "Half of Remnant knows about it. Only a backwater idiot wouldn't have heard about it by now."

"Heard about what?" Jaune asked innocently; only to flinch when everyone turned to stare at him. "Er, I mean— Uh…"

"You seriously haven't heard?" Kirino asked incredulously. "What rock have you been living under?"

"It's fine, Jaune," Kyousuke said hastily, but was met by a glare from Weiss.

"It's unbecoming for a prospective Huntsman to be ignorant of international news." The heiress huffed. "Don't encourage such unsightly behaviors."

"Have you heard about the recent White Fang attack on the Plaza Hotel?" Kuroneko asked in a bored tone.

"I heard… something like that." Jaune rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Apparently they tried to kidnap the heiress of the Schnee Company or something?"

"They didn't _try_," Weiss said; crossing her arms. "They succeeded. And they likely would have killed me, too if Kyousuke hadn't thwarted their plans."

"Wait…" Jaune furrowed his brow. "_You_ were kidnapped? But that makes you the heiress of the Schnee Company… And that means Kyousuke is…" Slowly, his eyes widened and he turned to his newest friend in shock. "That was _you!?_ Dude, my sisters won't shut up about you! You're like a knight straight out of a fairy tale to them!"

"It's really not that big a deal," Kyousuke said awkwardly.

"If you say so." The blond shook his head. "But, dude. This'll sound weird, but can I get an autograph? My little sister seriously loves you and she'd _kill _me if I didn't."

"I don't think—"

"Oh, come on, Kyo!" Yang said with a grin. "You'd be fulfilling a little girl's dream. You just have to write your name."

Kyousuke was about to retort when a sharp screeching sound reverberated throughout the amphitheater. Glancing up at the stage, he saw Professor Goodwitch adjusting a microphone stand. Off to the side, he could see Ozpin slowly making his way onto the stage.

The black-haired teen sighed. "What's her name?" he asked quietly. "I'll get it to you later."

"Bridget," Jaune whispered with a grin. "Thanks."

"Sure..." Kyousuke simply let out another sigh as Ozpin finally made it to the microphone.

"I'll… keep this brief." The grey-haired man said this with a weary look on his face as he adjusted his glasses. "You have traveled here in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people."

The Headmaster paused and gave the crowd of prospective Hunters an impassive look. "But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose; direction." He continued bluntly. "You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to _you _to take the first step."

Ozpin shook his head slightly and made his way off the stage without another word; pausing only to glance at something in the stands behind them. Kyousuke attempted to follow his gaze, but whatever the Headmaster had been looking at had already disappeared. All around him, the teen could hear the murmurings of his fellow students. It appears that the Headmaster's strange behavior had not gone unnoticed by those in attendance.

Even Professor Goodwitch seemed surprised by the grey-haired man's rather curt dismissal as she hurriedly moved to take over. "You will have the rest of the day to yourselves," the blonde woman said primly. "I suggest taking the time to familiarize yourselves with the campus."

Behind her, a large LCD screen came to life; displaying a map of the school grounds with several key points clearly labeled. "Dinner will be held in the dining hall between 1800 and 2100 hours," Glynda explained; gesturing towards the aforementioned building. "You will be housed in the ballroom for tonight and you are to be there no later than 2200 hours. Your belongings are to be stored in the locker room adjacent to the ballroom. The number and combination of your assigned locker has already been sent to you via your scrolls and you may download a map of the school from our wireless network. The password is '_b3acon#_'."

The LCD screen shifted to display the proper syntax of the password. "Possession of a scroll is mandatory for all students." The blonde-haired teacher continued. "If you do not own a scroll, visit the Cross Continental Transmit Tower and one will be assigned to you. Initiation begins tomorrow at 0800 hours on the dot. Be ready; tardiness will be met with harsh discipline. If you have any further questions or concerns; you may ask me now. Otherwise, you are dismissed."

"Hey," Yang spoke up with a small frown on her face as their fellow students began to disperse. "Is it just me or did Ozpin seem kind of… _off_ during his speech?"

"He did seem to be rather distracted," Ayase admitted. Ruby nodded her agreement.

"It was almost like he wasn't even there."

"I'm sure he's just busy with running the academy," Sena said as her scroll finished connecting with the school's wifi network. "We have approximately an hour and a half before dinner. What's the plan till then?"

"Apparently Beacon's library and bookstore are the biggest in all of Vale," Blake offered.

"I heard some upperclassmen talking about a rockin' coffee joint on campus," Yang said with a grin.

"We should probably drop our stuff off at the locker room before we do anything else," Kyousuke said before glancing at their blond companion. "Jaune. You're fidgeting over there. Problem?"

"Actually, I should probably head over to the CTT," the other boy said sheepishly. "I kinda… don't have a scroll."

"Really?" The black-haired teen raised an eyebrow at him. Who didn't have a scroll in this day and age? He'd thought Goodwitch just said that as a formality. "Well, I can go with you while the others check out the library."

"Ooh! Me, too!" Ruby said enthusiastically. "I've always wanted to see the tower up-close!"

"It's nothing special." Weiss sniffed. "The one in Atlas is much grander than this plain old thing."

"Either way," Kyousuke continued. "We'll all meet up at the coffee place Yang mentioned in an hour."

The group made general murmurs of agreement and, with their numbers splitting in half, they went their separate ways — completely unaware of the pair of eyes watching them.

* * *

From her spot in the nosebleed section of the amphitheater seats, Lightning watched impassively as her apprentice and his companions made their way outside.

"I'm surprised to see you here so soon," a voice said from behind her. "I half expected you to still be searching for clues to Anri's whereabouts."

The Huntress gave no outward reaction as Ozpin stepped beside her; gazing down at the group of teenagers. "You forget that I'm a professional," she replied coolly. "I'm not so undisciplined as to skip over my duties." She turned to him with a single eyebrow raised. "Unlike a certain someone. What the hell was that down there?"

"You saw that, eh?" The Headmaster let out a sigh as his face fell into a weary expression. "I spoke to James before the ceremony."

"Ironwood?" she questioned; raising an eyebrow. "What? He worried about his kid?"

"His child?" Ozpin repeated enigmatically. "I have no idea what you mean. I do not believe Penny Ironwood is enrolled at this academy."

"Cut the crap, Ozpin." Lightning grunted. "I'm not talking about that metal doll he's parading as his daughter. We both know what I mean."

The gray-haired man simply let out another sigh. Neither of them spoke for several moments but when he did finally speak up, it was with a tired frown. "...You know I never approved of him giving her up."

"He did it to protect her," the Huntress said evenly. "She's safer here — ignorant and under your protection — than anywhere else."

"That doesn't change my opinion on the matter," Ozpin retorted. Lightning's eyes narrowed.

"...For everyone's sake, I hope you don't plan on telling her," she said lowly. "The power she holds… What she's capable of doing… It's not something to be taken lightly. That girl has the potential to change the world."

"I'm well aware of that, Claire," the Headmaster said with a small sigh. "This is something that must be settled by James and his daughter."

"Then we'd better hope that she takes it well," Lightning replied; shaking her head. "And that she doesn't fall to the wrong side. The last thing we need is another Anri."

"Oh, I'm feeling quite optimistic about that," Ozpin said; once again turning his gaze down towards the students below. His eyes fell to a certain gunblade-wielding teenager and the man smiled slightly as he saw him speaking to the girl in question. "After all, it is often the friends we choose that show who we really are."

Lightning followed his gaze and frowned slightly. "...Kyousuke?" she asked lowly. "Did you not listen to anything I just said? What her semblance has the potential to do? And you want to put her with _him_ of all people?"

"Oh? Do you not have faith in your protégé?"

"You know what I mean!" She growled; her patience with him running thin. "You know what he just went through. He's been through enough as it is."

"Well now..." The corner of Ozpin's mouth twitched ever-so-slightly. "Aren't _we _protective..."

"Don't make me hurt you," the pink-haired Huntress snapped. "The White Fang is watching him, Ozpin. Hell, the whole damn _world _is watching him. And you want to stick him with her? You're just asking for trouble at this point."

"Agreed," the Headmaster admitted. "But you'll find that fate has an interesting way of going about things."

"_Fate_ is something we carve out for ourselves." Lightning retorted. "Our destiny is for _us _to decide. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"As do I, Claire." Ozpin sighed; shaking his head. "As do I."

* * *

"Excuse me…" a quiet voice spoke up from beside him as the group split up outside the amphitheater. Kyousuke glanced at the girl in surprise. The angel was speaking to him!

"Er, yes?" he asked with an awkward cough.

"I just wanted to apologize again," Ayase said; gently patting her dog on the head. "Angela is usually so well-behaved. I've never seen her react to someone so enthusiastically before."

"Eh..." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Maybe she just mixed up my scent with Kirino's?"

The girl shook her head. "Not even Kirino has elicited such a reaction from my Angela," she explained before throwing him a small smile. "But I've always considered her a good judge of character. You must be a very good person."

"I wouldn't say _that _per say," Kyousuke swiftly veered away from her compliments. "I'd say I'm pretty normal."

"Modest, too?" Ayase giggled. "Even after everything you've done?"

"Actually, I—"

"I can see why Kirino looks up to you so much," she said; causing any rebuttal to fall flat on its face as Kyousuke gaped at her.

"...Are we thinking of the same Kirino?" he asked bluntly; prompting her to resume her giggling.

"Haha! From that reaction, I think we are," Ayase said; covering a wide smile with her hand. "I know Kirino can be a little rough around the edges, but I can tell from the way she talks about you that she really looks up to you. She's just too embarrassed to openly admit it."

Kyousuke could only stare at her in open shock. In other words…

"...she's a tsundere…?" he whispered; realization dawning on him.

"A tsun… what?" Ayase asked; her brow furrowing in confusion.

"O-Oh, nothing!" Kyousuke squeaked. "Just talking to myself… haha…"

The black-haired girl looked ready to inquire further when another voice suddenly broke into the conversation. "Big Bro!" Ruby cried out impatiently. "You're walking too slow! Hurry up!"

The teen didn't even have a chance to respond before the redhead grabbed him by the arm and began dragging him towards the CCT less than a hundred yards away. Ayase could only blink in surprise as he was dragged off towards where the rest of the group was waiting and hurriedly jogged to catch up.

As she fell into step beside Kirino, her best friend turned to question her. "What were you talking about?" Kirino inquired. "He wasn't being a pervert, was he?"

Ayase just smiled and shook her head.

"Ruby, the tower isn't going anywhere," Kyousuke grunted.

"That's still no reason to be walking like a turtle!" she countered with an impatient pout as she dragged him through the automatic doors.

"Hello," a woman sitting at the front desk said; glancing up from her work with a smile. "Welcome to the Cross Continental Transmit Tower. How may I help you?"

"Uh, hi," Jaune coughed. "Professor Goodwitch said to come here to be assigned a scroll…?"

"Of course," the woman nodded. "Would that be all of you or just one?"

"Just one," he replied sheepishly.

"Very well," the woman nodded at one of her coworkers sitting nearby who promptly stood. "If you would please follow Raine, she can help you out."

The other woman smiled. "This way please, Mr…"

"Jaune Arc."

"Mister Arc," she nodded before turning to the group as a whole. "This shouldn't take long. Please feel free to explore the tower. You can use your scrolls to operate the elevator and there is a directory just beside it."

"I'll catch up later," Jaune assured them before following the woman into an adjacent room.

"Ooh! Ooh!" Ruby exclaimed. "Let's go to the communications room! Or how about the the memorial hall? Ooh! Let's go to the gift shop!"

"There's a gift shop?" Kirino asked incredulously.

"Well… maybe…?" the redhead said sheepishly.

"Why don't we go take a look at the directory she was telling us about," Ayase suggested. Kyousuke watched the three of them make their way towards the elevator on the other end of the room.

"Those are some.. interesting friends you've made, taicho," Akagi said, capturing him in a headlock. "That girl apologizes to you but not me? She tasered me! I guess you always _were_ a ladies man..."

"Can it, _Bakagi_," Kyousuke grunted.

"Haha! It's been a while since I heard that." The brunet chuckled before releasing him.

"And what about you?" the black-haired teen asked as he rubbed his neck. "Your family and friends in Vacuo must've been surprised to find out you came all the way back to Vale."

"Hey, when we heard you were back in action, how could we stay away?" Akagi asked with a wide grin on his face.

"Akagi…"

"Seriously, though..." The other teen's face grew solemn. "After what happened to Tamura, you completely changed, taicho. We were worried. Everyone was. Sena and I even got into a huge fight with our parents when they told us we were moving."

Kyousuke's face softened slightly. "...How was she?"

"Like I said," Akagi sighed. "We were worried. Losing Tamura hurt us all, but I think you took it the hardest. Well, besides Mercury maybe..."

"Have you heard from either of them?"

"Not a peep." The brunet sighed. "And not for lack of trying. You know how Sena has her… connections. But not even she could find a trace of them."

"Emerald always was the slipperiest of us all." Kyousuke shook his head bemusedly before throwing him a half smile. "It's good to have you back, Akagi."

"It's good to _be_ back, taicho," the other boy said with a grin. "We'd better go catch the others. Those girls of yours are looking mighty impatient over there."

Glancing over at where Ruby, Kirino and Ayase were staring at them, Kyousuke had to agree. "Right." He chuckled.

* * *

On the other side of campus, Blake looked around in fascination. "This place is even bigger than I thought it would be."

"The result of centuries of scholars gathering their works here," Kuroneko said; likewise gazing at the rows upon rows of books surrounding them. "In a way, it makes one realize how small they are in the grand scheme of things. One could spend a lifetime studying in this library and _still _not fully understand the knowledge and wisdom accumulated within these musty pages."

"That was deep, Ruri," the elder sister said, glancing at her with a small smile.

"But of course. I—"

"You heard it in an anime, didn't you?"

"...No." She refused to meet her gaze.

"You can't prove that, _kupo!_" Mog said indignantly from his spot in her arms.

"Really? Well then, I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I googled it then…" Blake slowly pulled out her scroll.

"Wait! I, er—" Thankfully, she was saved from having to answer by the timely interruption of Yang and Weiss.

"Emergency meeting," Yang said; grabbing a protesting Blake by the shoulder.

"Sorry to interrupt." Weiss agreed; nodding at her politely.

"Yang, Weiss, what are you—" was all Kuroneko was able to hear before they disappeared behind a bookshelf.

"What was that all about?" a voice asked from behind her. Turning, she saw the younger of the Akagi siblings watching the exchange curiously

"...Akagi-san, correct?" the black-haired girl asked.

"That's me," the bespectacled girl shrugged with a half-smile on her face. "Just call me Sena. There are two Akagis on campus, after all."

"Very well… Sena," Kuroneko said before raising an eyebrow at her. "I'm curious as to why you decided to come with us to the library. I was under the impression you'd been missing the wench's brother for quite some time…"

"Wench's brother…?" Sena repeated; her brow furrowed in confusion "You mean… the captain?"

"Yes. Kyousuke, I believe his name was."

"Well yeah," the brown-haired girl admitted. "But I think my brother wanted to talk to him first. There'll be plenty of time to catch up later." Her eyes turned towards Kuroneko's dress. "In the meantime, I couldn't help but notice your cosplay. The _Queen of Nightmares_, right?"

"You watch _Maschera?_" Kuroneko asked in surprise.

"Do I ever!" Sena grinned; her glasses gleaming in the ambient light. "Did you see the latest OVA where…"

Meanwhile, several aisles down Blake found herself being unceremoniously ushered into a small nook between two bookshelves.

"Alright, what gives?" The Faunus asked irritably; crossing her arms with an unamused frown.

"Like I said," Yang retorted. "Emergency meeting."

"It's about that Aragaki girl," Weiss said with a small scowl.

Blake blinked in surprise. "Ayase?"

"Yes," Yang grunted. "Did you see the way Kyo reacted when he saw her?"

She hadn't, to be honest. Her attention had been a little more preoccupied with the... the… _creature_ that had been accompanying her. Blake inwardly shuddered. "N-No…?"

"He was practically swooning!" Weiss snapped. "Swooning! Over _her?!_"

"...And what does this have to do with me?" the black-haired girl asked; raising an eyebrow at them.

"You're our accomplice," Yang said this as though it were a well-known fact.

"What? Since when?!"

"That girl is dangerous!" Weiss said vehemently. "You saw how he reacted."

Blake let out a sigh; massaging her temples furiously. "...Alright. Say I believe you. What makes this girl such a big threat?"

"Besides the way he reacted?" Yang asked. "She fulfills his biggest fetish!"

"...Excuse me?" Blake asked in a deadpan voice. Likewise, Weiss turned to her with a single eyebrow raised.

"Ah, that's right," the blonde said smugly. "You wouldn't know this, considering that I'm his childhood friend, but—"

"Just get on with it!" The heiress snapped.

"Kyo has a thing for pale skin and black hair."

"Really?" Blake asked; only to flinch as they both turned to glare at her. "I-I just think that's interesting; that's all!"

"Right..." Weiss scowled at her disbelievingly. "...But this makes her an even bigger threat than I originally thought…"

"If she's such a big threat, why did you leave him alone with her?" the Faunus asked curiously.

"We asked Ruby to run interference," Yang said offhandedly.

"You what?!"

"You didn't think we'd come here without a plan, did you?" Weiss asked haughtily. "That's why we came to you. We need your assistance."

"I really don't feel comfortable with…" She trailed off as Yang reached into her bag and pulled out a small black book that read:

Ninjas of Love.

"W-WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!" Blake's voice hitched she cried out. She desperately swiped at it, but Yang quickly replaced it inside her bag with a wide, devilish grin on her face. "Yang!"

"So, do we have a deal?" the buxom blonde asked with a coy smile on her face. Blake could only groan as she buried her rapidly reddening face in her hands but nodded regardless.

"Fine." She said with a deep sigh. "What exactly do you need me to do?"

"Well, you see…"

* * *

**Time: 2130 hours**

"This is the worst plan _ever_." Blake hissed as she tried desperately to get her blush under control. "Of all time…!"

"_Oh, give it a rest already,_" Yang's voice said through an earpiece. "_Just enjoy the show. Your part will come soon._"

The "show" that the blonde spoke of happened to be Kyousuke himself. Stripping. As in; without clothes. Blake was currently hiding within the ventilation shaft in the boys' section of the locker room; waiting for the teen to step into the shower as he prepared to turn in for the night.

"Not soon enough!" The Faunus whispered furiously; her face tomato red.

"_Yeah, yeah, whatever."_ The blonde grunted on the other end. "_Just make sure to grab the stuff. All of it."_

"_And take lots of pictures._" Weiss' voice suddenly broke in. "_Er... for science!_"

"Yeah, right…" Blake muttered before quietly clearing her throat. "Target has entered the showers. I'm in position at the infiltration point."

"_Kept us waiting, didn't ya? Commence: Operation Voyeurism._" Blake's eye twitched but she took a deep breath and steeled herself. Kyousuke was behind the shower curtains. The steam would cover her entrance. It was now or never. Wasting no time, she leapt from her spot in the vents...

Only to promptly slip on a bar of soap upon landing. "ARGH!" She grunted before she could stop herself and quickly threw a hand over her mouth.

"Jaune? Akagi? Is that you?" Kyousuke's voice drifted over the sound of running water. "I think I left the soap outside there. Could you hand it to me?"

Blake winced and stared down at said soap with wide eyes.

"Hello?"

When Blake reflected on this moment later, she wasn't entirely certain why she had complied with the request. Swallowing, Blake reached down and gingerly picked up the bar. Her heart pounding in her chest, she held it out at arm's length.

Without warning, however, the boy peaked out from the curtains (thankfully, with his eyes closed from the suds in his hair) and smiled. "Thanks," he said; taking the proffered soap bar. But Blake wasn't focusing on his face anymore. Far from it. Rather, her eyes were fixated on the water glistening on his skin; trailing down his hardened stomach toward his…

"Oh…" she whispered.

"_Blake?"_ Yang's voice through the earpiece was the last thing she remembered before everything became a jumbled mess. "_Blake, respond! Blake?! BLAAAAAAAAAAKE!"_

* * *

"So, what happened in there?" Ruby asked her some time later. She waved her hand in front of the black-haired girl's face. "Blake?"

"Hnrgh…" Was all she managed; her eyes glazed over slightly.

"Well, regardless," Weiss spoke up; rummaging through a suitcase containing Kyousuke's belongings. "You completed the mission."

"Good job, Blake," Yang said with a grin.

"Hnrgh…" Blake nodded absentmindedly and the other three could only stare at her strangely.

What _had _happened in there?

"...I feel like we just made our situation worse." Weiss said.

"Maybe." Yang could only nod sheepishly. "But now the plan can progress!"

"What exactly _is_ your plan?" Ruby asked curiously. "What are you going to do with Kyousuke's stuff?"

"It's not what _we're_ going to do, but what Kyo _can't_ do!" The buxom blonde explained triumphantly. "With his stuff gone, he'll have no choice but to—"

"YANG!"

"Uh oh," she muttered. "That was faster than I was anticipating. Quick! Hide the goods!" Tossing the suitcase towards a panicking Ruby, who quickly shoved it underneath her pillows, Yang turned towards the source of the angry shout. "Hey, there Kyo! What are yoooo_ooouuuuuuuuu—_ W-What are you...?!"

"What are you wearing?!" Weiss shrieked; her face glowing scarlet.

"_Meep!_" Ruby squeaked; her own face turning redder than her cloak.

It wasn't exactly a question of _what_ Kyousuke was wearing. Rather, it was what he _wasn't_ wearing that was the issue. Almost entirely exposed, the only thing conserving his modesty was a small white towel hanging at his waist. His hair tousled and his body glistening from his recent shower; their eyes were forcibly drawn to a particular droplet slowly making its way down his chest.

"Where are they, Yang?" Kyousuke snapped.

"H-Huh?" The blonde was snapped from her reverie; absentmindedly wiping the blood trickling from her nose.

"My clothes!" He growled irritably. "I _know_ it was you who took them."

"I-I understand you're upset," Weiss coughed; her face still rosy. "But couldn't you have worn the clothes you were wearing earlier before coming to confront her?"

"I can't!" He grumbled. "She took those too!"

"What?" Yang muttered; a surprised expression taking shape on her face. "But that wasn't part of the plan..."

"I _knew_ it was you!"

Meanwhile, Weiss turned to the Faunus sitting in the corner. "Blake!" she hissed. "What were you thinking?!"

"Hnrgh..." The black-haired girl grunted; her eyes still glazed over.

* * *

**A/N: Some fanservice for our female readers, if they exist ****=3**

**Yes, I've been playing MGS5 and yes, I've been dying a lot. My latest death was me trying to kill Pequod with a grenade launcher, only to have him crash land on my face xD. **

**Anyway, sorry for the delay. If you've seen the story summary, you'd know that I've been unwell for quite some time now. But thankfully, I'm starting to recover so I'll hopefully be able to resume writing.**

**Not much happened in this chapter but I hope you enjoyed it regardless. Kouhei and Sena have been added under Unassigned Characters.**

**On a completely unrelated note. Do any of you play Chain Chronicle on iOS or Android? It's an interesting little tower defense/RPG/TCG I've gotten into recently. If you play or are interested in trying it out, my friend ID is 150,368,335. Just remove the commas. **

**Friend space is limited, so send me a PM or review with your in-game name and party leader so I know who you are. My in-game name is KING and my usual party leaders are as follows:**

**\- _Lilith_ (a green-haired healer girl) on weekdays. If you have trouble with a quest, she can probably heal you through it.**

**_\- Shakti_ (a mage girl with silver hair) on weekends. Her special ability is great for farming gold.**

**P.S. If you decide to try it out and it asks you to refer a friend, just enter my ID and we'll both get rewards when you reach certain milestones (level 20, 40 etc). Just keep in mind that if you do this, you still need to send me a friend request if you want me to be able to help you out.**

**If you have any questions, feel free to send me a PM.**

EDIT: I wasn't expecting so many of you to enjoy the game! I won't be able to add all of you to my friends list on my primary account, but I can add you on one of my other accounts. Check my profile for details!

**Anyway, I thank you for your time. Thanks for reading!**

**\- Your King**


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